Hope Rising
by Teddy'sTwin
Summary: It's just a typical day for her to knock into somebody with a coffee cup in the airport, but not so typical when that same person sits by her on the plane or turns out to be one of the Avengers. Stephanie Haven is tossed into a world where she learns new things about herself and the team she's idolized- but will that matter when a new enemy steps up to take them on one by one?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi everyone! I know, I know I'm a little late on the uptake. Everyone is in love with the Avengers, and everyone has published faster than I have- but I hope this is good enough that I'm slow start won't matter. **

**This is based on not just the Avenger's universe, but the entire Marvel one. I hope you enjoy it, however, and hopefully it's well enough knit together that it keeps people interested. **

**Thank you, by the way, for reading! You're so awesome-**

**And now, to the story. **

Chapter 1

She was late- oh she was late. Her flight was leaving soon- why hadn't she just woken up ten minutes earlier? They were probably calling boarding right about now and she had barely gotten through security.

Stephanie Haven slipped her shoes on, tossing her book bag over her shoulders and hauling her carry on duffle bag off the security conveyer belt. She tugged her blond hair out from under the straps of her book bag after she slung it over her shoulders, making for the escalator up to her terminal, scuffing one shoe to get it more firmly on her foot. She didn't have time for shoe laces- she was going to miss her flight-

She booked it up the airport escalator, hauling her carry on through the crowd and called apologies after her as she made for her gate, bumping into almost everyone she saw on accident- was there no one safe from her today?

And slammed right into a man with a coffee cup.

Coffee spewed everywhere, sinking into her clothes and burning its way to her skin. She hissed under her breathe.

Apparently no one was safe. Including herself.

"Oh my - , I'm so sorry," the man said, but she barely heard him, trying to wipe the stuff from her clothes. It was too late- they were already ruined. Her new white shirt she'd bought was stained for good.

"It's ok," she told him automatically. It would be ok- she had a spare outfit or two in her carry on. Ever since she lost her luggage on her trip home last summer, she knew to bring something along with her. "Don't worry about it-," his hand darted out, trying to use a napkin to get rid of the coffee, dabbing it away. She looked up at him for the first time.

He was stooped, concentrating, wearing a pair of respectable glasses- and underneath those glasses-.

She blushed immediately, backing out of his reach. He looked up at her, met her eyes with those eyes.

"Really, its fine," she told him awkwardly, backing farther.

His brow furrowed, clear concern on his face, his dark eyes still holding hers.

She had to go; she was going to be late. "I'm sorry about your coffee!" she told him, turning, catching one more glimpse of those eyes, before heading towards terminal A, half running.

His eyes, those dark, bright eyes- who knew that black eyes could be light, kind?- looking up into them had been- she was still processing everything that had just happened. He had been so attractive, and she had just shied away. She was really good at shying away, so she supposed it didn't matter. She would never see him again anyways-

And they were boarding- right as she skipped to a stop at the gate, panting. The ticket lady looked at her disapprovingly as she got in line, but she didn't care. She had made it. She was heading home.

Home was in Germany at the moment. Her father was in the military, which meant home was where the Army sent them. Now in college, it meant separation for her mostly. That was normal, she guessed, but she was only supposed to be an hour or two away, not a day, or more.

Now she was traveling home for her brother's high school graduation. She had a plane transfer in New York, and then on to the Frankfurt airport. She was jittery with excitement. Seeing her family again put the smile right back on her face.

It was a pity she didn't have time to change her outfit though. The smell of coffee gave her a head ache. She would just have to block it out for the next few hours, until New York where she had a four hour layover. She could do her hair there too. It was up in the messiest bun she'd ever created.

The lady took her ticket, and gave her another disapproving look. Stephanie smiled apologetically, ducking past.

Sighing, she stepped into a very familiar tunnel that led to the plane, relieved. Home again, home again, On the road again. She smiled to herself, sleepiness already stirring in her. Planes always made her tired. It was her natural instinct to sleep on planes, car rides, trains, anything after more than an hour of travel. She loved take off too much to miss it though, and Frontier airlines had some of the worst pilots. It meant more excitement in the take-off and landing.

There was probably something psychologically wrong with her thinking that. Freud in his time would probably have loved to examine her. She liked dangerous situations too much, and she often feigned fear in order to fit in. For example, wincing at the sight of blood. She didn't mind it really; it was just how she was supposed to react.

She shook her head, moving up in the line, looking up to see people filing into the aisle of the plane. She had seat A12, according to her ticket stub. Over the wing probably.

It was a small plane, but most Frontier planes were, with seating from A to F. She shoved her carry on duffle in an overhead bin, and slung herself into the seat- there was no one in B or C, unusual, especially since she was one of the last people on. Not that she minded. She'd been crammed against grandmothers and overly large men with tattoos and snoring habits akin to a monster truck more often than she could count. As it was she stretched out, pulling her book bag off her back and reaching for her drawing pad. It'd be a long time before they were off the tar mat.

She got to sketching. It was her past time, something she loved dearly to do. It let her escape easily, let her capture an idea permanently. She was drawing a pair of black but light eyes when someone sat down next to her. Holding a Styrofoam coffee cup.

She looked up, startled, and met the eyes she had been shaping on her sketch pad.

She blinked.

Those eyes were still there, no longer shrouded by glasses. She hadn't just been seeing her drawing page double.

"Hi," he said awkwardly, his mouth quirking to one side.

"Oh my gosh," she shook herself into reality. "I-."

"Hey, there," he smiled more fully, and she felt herself beam and blush, ducking her head away. "Wow-."

"It's, a small world," she laughed lightly, forcing herself to look back up into his face.

"It is," he agreed heartily.

"I'm sorry about your coffee earlier," she said, glancing at his new cup. "I probably should have paid for that."

"Oh, no-," he looked at it, "it was me, I was not paying attention to where I was going at all-."

"I was running, and not paying attention, so, I think I'll take the blame for this one," she smiled cordially.

"Not a chance," he smiled, his black eyes sparking. They paused, and she took him in- his button up shirt, his hair black and mussed. He had taken off his glasses, and stuck them in his front pocket. He had some stubble, as was the style these days, but underneath that was a rugged jaw-

What was she doing?

"I'm Bruce, Bruce Banner," he told her, a smile on his face. She liked his smile immensely. An alliteration name, she thought to herself. He switched his coffee cup into his other hand, and stretched out his hand to her.

She put her pencil down and took it, "Stephanie Haven," she nodded, beaming. "It's nice to meet you."

"Again," he gestured at her shirt as he let go.

"Again," she shook her head in embarrassment.

He grimaced in concern, "I'm sorry about that."

She put her hands up, "No, don't be. Trust me, it happens all the time," she assured him truthfully. It did happen all the time. She wasn't exactly the most graceful human being.

An older gentleman sat down next to Bruce Banner, holding his cane as he eased into the seat. Bruce Banner grabbed his jacket from it, and helped the man down.

"Thank you son," he said croakily.

"It's not a problem sir," Bruce Banner said politely.

Stephanie couldn't help but smile.

They were interrupted by the voice overhead, demanding their attention for the safety procedures. She heard Bruce Banner chuckle under his breath, and mutter something along the lines of, "As though crashing were the biggest problem on this plane."

She glanced at him sideways, before looking out of the window. It was not her first flight, and it most definitely would not be her last. She knew the safety procedures backwards, not that she had ever needed them or been particularly interested, but she'd heard them so many times it was firmly ingrained in her memory.

Next to her though Bruce Banner was tensing up. Not a frequent flier, she guessed. She felt the plane backing up from the gate. He made to grab the armrest, but her hand was already there. She let go of it instantly, as though shocked, and folded her hand back in her lap. She still didn't dare look at him. He made her nervous. Not in a bad way, but in a way that made butterflies appear in digestion organs where they should not be.

"They always have to say those precautionaries, don't they?" he grumbled anxiously.

"Yep," she said, turning back to him with a half smile. His shoulders where hunched. She felt her smile widen, "Don't fly much?" she queried.

"I haven't been on a plane like this in years," he breathed, closing his eyes as the plane's engines revved, and taking a seemingly swig of his coffee, before crumpling it in his hand. A plane like this? Was he used to first class or something?

"How come?" she asked. Flying was something she enjoyed. She was pretty comfortable with it.

"I get a little green," he smiled, as though it were an inside joke.

"You're not going to throw up on me are you?" she wanted to know, balking, her stomach twisting uncomfortably.

He chuckled, "No, probably not."

"I have motion sickness pills, if you need them," she told him, making to dig in her book bag, shifting her drawing pad next to her. Her grandmother had given her everything she could possibly want pill wise- motion sickness, head ache, cold and flu. _Be prepared for anything_, she'd told her.

He touched her on the arm, and she looked up, to see him smiling with that inside joke gleaming in his eye, shaking his head, "No, but thank you."

"You sure?" she affirmed, sitting up.

"Yes, I'm sure," he nodded. "Pills, don't really affect me."

"Would you mind if I took a couple of those, sweetheart?" the older gentleman smiled at her from across Bruce. "I get a bit queasy, and those knock me right out."

"Of course," Stephanie smiled, and went back to rummaging in her bag. She found the pills, and handed over her tiny, unopened water bottle that she had snuck in through security. Water bottles in airports were expensive as heck, which was why she'd brought this one, but she didn't mind giving up the bottle. She knew how much dry swallowing pills bothered people.

"Thank you," he smiled gratefully through his wrinkles, taking his old fedora off, and putting it in his lap where his cane rested between his knees. He took the pills from her, and the water bottle, and she tried to keep from touching Bruce Banner as she handed them over. The gentleman smiled, unscrewing the cap, "Nice wife you got there," he gestured at Stephanie with the bottle, looking at Bruce suggestively.

"Oh no," Stephanie said immediately, eyes wide, putting her hands up.

Bruce shook his head quickly, "We're not-."

"-I'm not his-," Stephanie pointed to herself as the old man's bushy brows raised higher and higher.

Bruce pointed at her, still shaking his head, "She isn't my-."

"We're not-," she gestured to both of them.

"Together," they ended together in unison, and looked at each other in surprise, before Stephanie ducked her head, sure she was blushing furiously.

The man chuckled heartily, popping the pair of pills and swallowing. "I know, it's just always so fun to make you young people squirm," he said cheekily, which only made Stephanie titter forcefully, and Bruce smiled hesitantly.

_Oh how embarrassing_, Stephanie thought to herself, sitting back in her seat, covering her mouth with her hand. She was wondering if the flight could possibly get anymore convoluted just as the plane turned into the runway, pausing as the engines revved loud. Take off. Stephanie smiled as the plane rumbled underneath them.

They were rocketing into the sky, and Stephanie continued to gaze over the mountains, scattered with houses. Though she definitely wasn't the biggest fan of heights, being in an airplane never scared her. The clouds were always a comfort, and the land was so far below that she didn't have to think about it really. She'd always felt pretty safe in an aircraft. Well, her dad did fly helicopters for a living. Maybe she had got it from him.

She looked over to see Bruce breathing shallowly, his eyes closed.

She stared at him in alarm. "Are you ok?" she asked him over the roar of the engine, and a wan smile appeared on his face, but he didn't say anything, and it looked forced.

The airplane finally reached its altitude, steadying, and she watched as his breathing steadied as the fasten seatbelt sign overhead binged off.

"You ok?" she repeated, wanting to know, looking into his face.

He opened his eyes grudgingly, and only slightly. "No, not really."

"Do you want a sleeping pill? You could just dream through it," she smiled half heartedly. It was an odd concept to her, to be afraid of airplanes.

"Pills don't work," he told her through gritted teeth.

"Are you sure?" she was concerned, leaning farther forward.

He just nodded, closing his eyes again. She bit her lip again. "You're going to be alright," she told him gently, but over the airplane's engine she was sure he couldn't hear it.

It surprised her when he responded, "I'm not so much worried about me, as the rest of you." That really surprised her, but before she could ask, he muttered under his breath, "I'm going to kill Stark."

"Who?" she asked before she realized it was probably impertinent to ask.

It was his turn to be startled, not knowing he'd been overheard. "My friend I'm meeting in New York."

"Oh, yeah." Sometimes she forgot that not everyone would connect out of New York. The question had seemed to calm him down a bit, so another question then? "So what are you planning to do in New York?"

"Business," he answered vaguely.

"So not just traveling," she smiled encouragingly.

"You couldn't get me into one of these things just to go sightseeing," he told her, his tone was relaxing and wonderfully sarcastic.

"I don't know. I hear it's a great place to visit," she thought aloud. She'd always wanted to visit, since the last time she had been sightseeing in New York was when she was four.

He opened his eyes to glance at her sideways, "I wouldn't say that, not after what happened last year."

She hadn't forgotten the invasion of Earth that had happened in New York last year, where a god from another planet, a super soldier from the 40s, Iron Man, and the green monster that was known as the Hulk had protected Earth from the invaders, along with a few unidentified people. It had made alien life forms a reality for one thing, but also? It had combined some of Earth's biggest heroes together to make a team called the Avengers. Iron Man had been very public about the whole thing, and she'd followed the entire thing. She'd helped put together and send care packages to New York with her church all that summer, and through part of the fall. She had wanted to go to New York, to volunteer as with the Red Cross, but, her grandmother had died, and she had stayed for the funeral. The invasion in New York had been a detriment to the world for a while, like what had happened September 11th on steroids, and a lot of good people had died that day.

And despite all that, she had wished she had been there to see what had happened, to have lived it.

"I don't know. It sounds- adventurous," she tilted her head at him with a quick grin.

He shook his head, "I was there that day."

"You were?" she gasped, instantly intrigued.

"Yes," he grinned slightly at her enthusiasm, but looked distant as he said, "It wasn't as exciting as you're thinking."

"Says you," she told him, sitting up eagerly. "What _was_ it like?"

"A lot of flashing lights and screaming," he replied, "Buildings collapsing around your ears. You know, the regular," he was being sarcastic. The light glint in his eye was back.

"The regular," she repeated, rolling her eyes. "So did you see any of them?"

He raised his eyebrows, "Of who?"

"The team- the Avengers," she wanted to know.

"Yeah," he nodded casually, pulling a face. "All of them."

"Seriously?" she was amazed, "You must have been in the middle of the action!"

"I was, as a matter of fact," he turned a bit to face her more fully, an inside joke in his eyes again as he half smiled.

"You saw Captain America then?" she realized too late that she sounded a little like a fan girl. She was nearly twenty five. She didn't need to sound so ridiculous.

"I did," he nodded at her, eyeing her apprehensively.

She smiled dreamily, "I heard he's been frozen in ice for something like 70 years, and that he still loves a girl from then." It wasn't exactly strictly her fault that she was infatuated with the Captain. Her father, a WWII expert, had taught her most of his exploits against Red Skull as he had grown up.

Bruce faced forward, his expression calculated, "That about covers it."

"Sorry," she made a face, leaning forward subconsciously, "Hopeless romantic."

He nodded, and then shook his head with a smile, "Yeah, I don't get that." She laughed with him for a minute.

"So," she moved the conversation on, since he seemingly didn't want to talk about last summer. Maybe it had been too horrifying to really remember. She should have been more thoughtful, "What do you do for a living?" Stupid question, she chastised herself too late.

"I'm a doctor," he smiled appreciatively.

Not a stupid question, she acknowledged. "Oh really? What kind?"

"The kind that fixes people up," he said, his black eyes sparking.

She rolled her eyes sarcastically, "I meant pediatrician, or something like that."

"Oh, well, I used to research gamma radiation and its effects, but," he shrugged, and then he looked to her. Gamma radiation. She knew only what her few physics classes in college had had to say about it, and that was all.

She nodded, as though she understood, and then shook her head just like he had, "Yeah I wouldn't get that."

"What do you do?" he asked her politely.

"I work at a high school as an aid," she looked at the backs of her hands, "I work with the post high school students."

"Special Education?" he asked her.

"Yes," she nodded, surprised that he knew what post high really meant, feeling a bit morose as she gazed down. Her hands were scarred from one of her student's abuses, and they still had yet to fade. Some of her wounds were still scabbing over, and the place she'd been bitten was still plainly obvious.

"What happened?" he asked, taking her hand to examine it.

Her answer caught in her throat for a moment, before she managed to say, "I have a student who doesn't understand- how to communicate, or anything else- except for hitting, and, occasionally-."

"These look like bite marks," he was disturbed, she could hear it. She made to tug her hand away, but he held it tight, but gentle. How was that possible? "If I had -."

"I promise, Neosporin's fine," she smiled, tugging again, and he let her hand go. "Thanks anyways Doc."

He smiled at that, but he was still perturbed, "Why do you stay?" he wanted to know.

She looked at her hands again, "I really like it-, and it's only temporary until I graduate."

"Graduate?" he questioned her, his brows furrowing.

"I'm still a student," she proffered uneasily.

"Oh, you're young," he winced away from her with a grin.

She twisted her mouth, "Not really- I'm getting my master's degree."

"In what?" he inquired politely.

"Psychology," she answered automatically.

He gave her a crooked smile, leaning in, "And how do you feel about that?"

"I-," and then she laughed as she realized his joke in his eyes. He laughed with her, and she liked the sound of it.

"How come psychology?" he wondered.

"Well, I just have always been interested in how the mind works. Emotion intrigues me," she said with a shrug, "And how it all figures out in the end. People have been telling me to go into it for ages."

He nodded slightly, looking forward. "The mind - holds great power."

She agreed whole heartedly.

"You're not going to ask me about my childhood now, are you?" he smiled teasingly.

"If it comes up, maybe," she teased right back.

"Oh I hope not," he settled back into his chair.

Next to him the old man had clocked out, leaning towards Bruce's shoulder. She was feeling sleep stir again. Traveling really was something she did best when she slept. But she didn't want to sleep now. She was enjoying talking with Bruce, but even as their conversation continued she felt her eyelids drooping, and she yawned, though she tried to hide them.

He was grinning broadly as she came back from her last yawn.

"Tired?" he asked teasingly.

"Sorry," she told him apologetically, stretching in her seat slightly. "I normally sleep on airplanes."

"You can still sleep, you know," he smiled.

"No," she said, sitting up straighter, pulling herself together. She was sure as heck going to stay awake. She was not going to sleep through this flight. She could sleep later. "You could sleep too you know- it'd be easier-." But then she looked at the coffee cup. "Or, maybe not."

He followed her train of vision, "Oh that?" he raised his eyebrows at her, and then smiled, "That's," he chuckled, "that's decaf."

Another inside joke, she could tell by his eyes. She wondered what it was. She liked that he had them, but she still wanted to know.

After a while, the drink cart came along, the flight attendant asking them if they would like anything.

"Water," Stephanie told the flight attendant with a nod.

"Orange Juice, if you have any?" Bruce said tentatively, his face quirking. Stephanie smiled as the attendant assured him they had some. Bruce shrugged at her over his shoulder, and she laughed quietly.

The sun was setting out the window quickly. Traveling forward in time did that. She leaned to look out at the clouds, peaceful as the world began to change colors. Bruce tapped her shoulder, handing her her drink.

"Thanks," she smiled, taking a sip and opening her tray table. "So why don't you like flying? Are you afraid of heights?"

Bruce snorted into his drink, "No," he said, "I'm not afraid of heights," he smiled again, that inside joke again, and she wanted to know what it was.

"So what is it?" she asked, setting her cup down on her tray table.

He looked at her her sideways, "This isn't you psychoanalyzing me, is it?"

"No. I'm not even certified," she rolled her eyes, and pressed on, "Really, what is it?"

"Claustiphobia, I guess?" he made a face, obviously uncomfortable. "It's – complicated."

She nodded, "Keep going."

He laughed, "Why are_ you_ so comfortable with flying?"

"My dad's in the military so I travel a lot- oh, I see what you did there," she narrowed her eyes at him, "Reverse psychology."

"Something you should know about," he said before taking a sip. "You're dad's in the military?" he asked, suddenly wary, "What branch?"

She sat up proudly, "The Army, the only way to go."

"Spoken like a true Army brat," he acknowledged.

"Hey," she twisted her mouth at him. He was chuckling though. She took another sip of her drink, looking out of the window again. It was almost sun down, the clouds gilded gold. She was suddenly sleepy again. "What about your parents?"

"Ah, I thought we weren't going to get into childhoods," he reminded her, looking at her sideways.

"Parents aren't childhood," she pointed out.

"Close enough," he responded.

"Fine," she made a face, "How about what you're going to do in New York?"

He just smiled at her. All enigma then.

She covered a yawn, and then half joked, "If you're going to be this talkative, I think I will fall asleep."

"I think, that it might do you some good," he told her.

That surprised her.

She was bothering him, she realized too late. All her self confidence from a moment ago crumbled under that sentence. He wanted her to sleep, so he could have some peace, probably read a book or something on gamma radiation or whatever. She was distracting him. She'd been so one minded the minute she'd seen him she hadn't even considered that he could be annoyed.

"Right," she nodded to herself, settling herself back in her seat leaning away from him, looking out of the window. "See you on the other side then, Bruce Banner."

"Oh," he said, "See you there."

She closed her eyes, and she was almost instantly asleep, travel mode taking over almost automatically, though her last thought was one of regret. Oh well. They would get off the plane and she would never see Bruce Banner again.

She awoke to the plane dipping down, waking her like it always did. She blinked groggily, and then realized too late that she was leaning on Bruce's shoulder. She straightened immediately, horrified. She had never, in all her flying years, done that before. But Bruce didn't seem to notice. His own head was tilted back, and for a moment she thought he was asleep, but really, he was concentrating, his eyes shut closed.

G force was carrying them down, down, her stomach rising with each dip. She knew that probably did not help Bruce at all, especially if he was afraid of flying. She sat up to look at him, but something slid off of her- she caught it before it slid to the ground. Holding it up, she realized it was a jacket. Not her jacket she realized- she had folded it away into her carryon luggage.

Bruce's jacket. She smiled.

"Flight attendants prepare for arrival," the pilot said through the overhead mike as the plane sailed downwards.

Turbulence rocked the plane as they descended, and. _Curse Frontier's bad pilots_, she thought savagely as Bruce gritted his teeth.

He opened his eyes the minute the airplane slowed to a smooth stop at the gate.

"Hey, how are ya there?" she wanted to know, touching his shoulder. "You ok?" she prompted when he didn't respond.

"Yes. Yes," he was telling himself more than he was telling her. "Let me get off this ride," he grumbled as the cabin depressurized.

She laughed, "Almost there. I think this is yours?" she said, holding up the jacket.

He stared at it for a moment, and then nodded, "Oh- yes." He took it from her, and she smiled at his kindness.

"Thank you," she told him.

People were standing up, pulling their bags out of the overhead compartments as the flight attendant said, "Welcome to the JFK airport in New York, we hope you had a nice flight, and hope to be flying with you again soon."

"Not likely," Bruce muttered under his breath.

Stephanie laughed quietly, pulling her book bag up out from under the chair in front of her. She stood up, and knocked her head against the roof. Wincing, she looked to see if he had been watching. He had, he looked at her with worry, but she shook it off, rolling her eyes at her own stupidity when he looked away.

Filing out of the airplane was always one of her least favorite activities. She bumped her way down the aisle, following far behind Bruce to where he looked back at her as though to hurry up, but she didn't want to. She'd fallen headlong down one of these aisles before, and crashed her way into someone. She was not going to chance it now.

He waited for her in the tunnel, his bag slung over one shoulder and his other arm holding his jacket with his hand stuck in his pocket. He looked up at her when she stepped out of the plane and she smiled broadly at him. They began to walk together up the ramp.

"Glad to be off?" she asked him.

He nodded fervently, looking at the ground, and then a smile cracked and he was half laughing.

They were emerging from the tunnel, and Stephanie felt her heart pang. She'd never really done this before, made friends so fast on an airplane. Normally it was a couple she got acquainted with, or a family, but this. This was completely foreign. She didn't want to say good bye, but she knew perfectly well how irrational that was. She was going to see her family in Germany. She was never going to see Bruce Banner again.

They stopped near one of the walls of windows, and she knew full well they were going to have to say goodbye. He was a perfect stranger, albeit a perfect stranger that had nearly crushed her hand twice, but, a stranger none the less. She didn't need to get all choked up about it.

"So," she smiled sadly, turning to face him as the glaring overhead lights, and the dull yellow lamps outside the window conflicted on his face, "It was nice to meet you, Bruce Banner." She held her duffle bag in front of her, feeling it swing against her legs.

"It was nice to meet you too, Stephanie Haven," he had been looking at his feet but when he said her name he met her eyes with his, "And I'm still sorry-." He gestured at her shirt again, "If you were staying in New York I'd have it dry-cleaned."

"No, I'm heading to Frankfurt, so," she motioned towards another part of the airport, "But I'm glad I bumped into you. I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to talk to you otherwise."

"Brave enough?" he questioned, his eyebrows rising.

She'd said too much. Well, she never was going to see him again anyways, she mentally shrugged, so why not? "Well, good looking guy sits next to you on a plane? I can't ever think of good conversation starters as it is."

He laughed, obviously embarrassed, "Well, thanks," he added, looking out the huge window.

"Oh-," she didn't know what she was being thanked, "It's- not a problem," she smiled, and offered her hand. He took it warmly, and for a split second too long she got caught in his eyes, the black bright eyes.

And then, the glass from the window shattered around them.

The air seemed to slice apart before her eyes, and she was tumbling, falling- someone was helping her fall, curling her head down, to the side-

Too quickly Stephanie fell flat from the blast, and something rocketed over head, followed by another, sleeker sound. Her hair blew over her head, so she could only see through the blond strands, and she was keenly aware that Bruce had fallen on top of her, was covering her head with his hand. She looked through her hair and up to see a man with a jet pack being chased around by-

"Iron Man!" she gasped in amazement.

"What the hell is going on," muttered Bruce, standing up more fluidly then she would have guessed he could, his question sounding much more like a statement. He helped her to her feet as screams and shouts started to resound in Stephanie's ringing ears, and handed her his carryon bag, and jacket, "Get somewhere safe," he told her, meeting her eyes firmly, before running forward.

"But!" she called out, stepping forward, but then he was lost in the shrieking crowd. A security guard grabbed her arm, was hauling her away.

She stooped out of the security guard's reach to grab her duffle, gathered both those bags, and with one on her back, along with Bruce's jacket, she followed everyone as the security tried to get them out. She was forced into following the crowd else get trampled, but she kept looking over her shoulder, trying to see what was going on. She couldn't see Bruce anywhere.

There was a boom the rocked the ground underneath her. She wasn't the only one who fell forward, but immediately she was being stampeded on as a fresh wave of people shrieked, surging over her. Panicked, she shoved to get out of the way, making for the wall- grabbing the bags she dragged them into a bathroom, and collapsed against the wall. She'd lost Bruce's jacket in the mayhem-

She gasped as she clung to Bruce's bag. What the heck _was_ going on?

She glanced out around the wall bravely. Almost everyone had evacuated, leaving her and a few stragglers- and Iron Man.

He was hovering seven feet in the air, obviously scouring for the first person on a jet pack, gleaming red and gold in his metal suit. An Avenger, right before her eyes. The most popular Avenger, she could even dare say. She couldn't believe it.

"Come out, come out wherever you are," Iron Man called, the automated voice dead panned and rather more menacing than when he was out of the suit, in Tony Stark form, levitating over a moving walk way. "You can't hide in here forever."

"I see you came to pick me up early," - was that Bruce? It was! He was on the moving walk way, leaning against the side as it brought him towards Iron Man, speaking to him as casual as could be. She couldn't process- how did they know each other?

"You know, got bored waiting in the lobby- area, so I brought the party to you," and the helmet came off to reveal the face of Tony Stark. He hovered lower, "How've you been?" he asked quickly, like it was an afterthought.

"I've been better," Bruce said casually, hands in his pockets as he stepped off the walk way, "Have I mentioned how much I hate airplanes?

"Yeah, but this couldn't wait," Tony Stark said off-handedly.

"If it were that important S.H.I.E.L.D. would have flown me out here," Bruce harrumphed, gesturing out.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't need you- I did," Tony said, his eyes flickering around the room.

Bruce shook his head with a smile. "What for?"

"Pepper and I are getting married," Tony Stark said with a half smile thrown in Bruce's direction, though he wasn't looking at him, "Thought you'd want to come to witness, or, whatever."

That obviously had caught Bruce off guard, "Married? You?"

"Why does everybody sound so surprised?" Tony Stark seemed miffed, "I'm sorry I didn't get you one of my planes- it would have taken it longer to fly out there. I probably should have bought you one there on the spot but, didn't think about it."

"Yeah, I thought I'd at least get first class or something," Bruce said sarcastically.

"Red Eye ticket," shrugged Iron Man distractedly. "I'll get you a better flight home."

"No, thank you," Bruce sounded like he was going to be sick, but his friend was still searching the room with his eyes. "Need help?"Bruce reached for his glasses in his front pocket, but they had snapped- in two from the looks of it. Bruce made a face.

"Nope. I don't think an enormous green rage monster- got him," the helmet shut over his face as he lifted off, having found the target.

"You owe me a new pair of glasses," Bruce called to him as bullets tinged off of the Iron Man suit.

"Four eyes," Iron Man's metal voice saying it made Stephanie laugh, catching Bruce's attention.

He looked at her, wide eyed, his hand coming out of his pocket, "Stephanie-"

A bullet caught him in his chest- Stephanie felt herself cry out, leaping out of her hiding place just as another explosion shook the floor. She fell over, looked up immediately to see Bruce getting off the floor- she gasped- she'd seen him collapse just a moment ago- she'd been sure he'd been shot.

He was kneeling on all fours, shaking. The muscles in his forearms bulged-

Stephanie scrambled to get to her feet-

Something seared her leg- she heard a scream, her vision blackening- she felt herself collapse again as she clutched at her leg, her mind filled with the fire that had lit on her thigh. Her hand came away bloody-

A roar unlike anything she'd ever heard before wrecked the silence. She looked up as something massive shadowed over her, barreling towards her. She gasped, covered her head, but it ran past, big and- green.

The Hulk.

She stared in disbelief, looking from where Bruce had been to where the Hulk was now, put two and two together-

"Really?" she asked aloud as she watched the person with a jet pack be plucked out of the sky by one of the Hulk's huge hands, not ten feet away. She felt her mouth tilt upwards. The Hulk slammed the terrorist with the jet pack into the ground, and tore the jet pack off with a roar.

"Incredible," she breathed, making to stand, and then her leg spasmed in protest. Gritting her teeth, she stood, holding her wound. By the looks of it shed only been grazed, barely grazed, but her pant leg was still gruesome looking. It burned- but she couldn't miss-

"Alright, there buddy, I think you got him," Iron Man said, setting down next to the Hulk, picking up the bad guy by the scruff of the neck, but with a whack, a giant green hand sent both Iron Man and the unconscious man flying, knocking into a metal pillar. Iron Man panged against it, and if the jet pack guy hadn't been unconscious, he certainly was now.

With a bellow of rage, the Hulk began to tear up the terminal, and people that had been cowering or crowding around with camera phones now screamed, making to run.

Stephanie blanched. Those people-

Iron Man was in front of the Hulk, corralling him. "Power down there big guy-"

But the Hulk made to thwack him out of the way. Iron Man dodged, "Perfect," she heard him grumble, just before the Hulk grabbed him by the leg and slammed him down through the floor into the cement, before the giant turned to wage war on the rest of the airport.

Iron Man was pulling himself out of the debris with a groan when Stephanie found herself passing him, running even, despite her leg.

"Bruce!" she called as he pulled apart a trash can and threw it across the terminal into a wall on the far end.

"BRUCE!"She flung herself in front of him, and realized too late how incredibly stupid that decision had been, arms spread to stop his assault.

He roared, looking down at her, meeting her gaze.

She leaned forward, touched his knee with both of hers- and mid roar he froze. His eyes fastened on hers, and she locked them there. She wanted that bright black gaze, with the sarcastic glint. She knew it was in there.

And suddenly he was shrinking, his skin color changing. Her hands dropped from his knee, but she continued to gaze. He was still staring at her when his eyes were back, bright and surprised- he staggered forward, grabbing her arms near her shoulders.

He was blinking in amazement, and all too soon she realized he was completely naked- she blushed furiously. "Stephan-,"

And then his eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed on her. She yelped, making to hold him up, when Iron Man set down next to her.

"Sorry," he said easily through the suit, "he normally keeps his pants on at parties."

That didn't help her blush at all as she grappled to keep him standing.

Stepping forward, he looked her up and down with his mask still on. It was more than a little eerie, but she couldn't back away, with her arms full of Bruce Banner. She was already cracking under the weight of him, her leg making her quaver unsteadily. Iron Man's mask came up to look at her more fully, Stark's big eyes calculating.

"Um, help?" she asked timidly, her voice shaking, before her knees buckled and she fell backwards, her head smacking on the floor.

"Who are you?" Tony Stark asked quizzically, leaning over them as she gazed skyward, the world tunneling to black.

**A/N: Alright guys, what did you think? I know it was a lot to read, but I just couldn't see anywhere to cut it off… **

**Anyways, feedback would be whole heartedly appreciated! **

**Thank you so much for reading again!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys! Wow what a response! You have no idea what this means to me! Thank you guys! I loved all of your feedback!**

**Thank you for everyone who said I kept people in character. That is my number one goal in writing, to keep them all in character-**

**Speaking of character- you guys! Tony Stark is SO MUCH FUN! To write, and in real life, but MAN, is he difficult. There's that odd balancing act you have to pull with him, because I've read fan fiction that makes him sound like a gay cupid, or something, and I don't know about you guys, but it makes me wrinkle my nose. So, tell me if I got Tony's character or not. Again, he's difficult. But he's that way in real life so… :)**

**And I'm in love with Jarvis. Let's be honest, he is a part of the Avengers that gets overlooked too often. I love him to pieces.**

**ALSO! My Beautiful Ending YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL- you followed me over to the Avengers world! Darling, you're darling! There's a bit of Pepper for you in here. ;)**

**Um, I think that is all- ALSO, this IS the longest chapter I will write it's SO LONG! **

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 2

She awoke again with a start, gasping.

And she had absolutely no idea where she was.

Panic choked her momentarily as she tried to think, tried to understand where she could be. She couldn't remember- she couldn't-

But the surroundings didn't seem threatening.

She was in a big, soft room, on a huge white bed. She looked around, sitting up, her heart racing frantically, her head- oh her head. Where was she-? This was all completely and totally unfamiliar.

Lavish, and large, the room spanned at least forty feet and with seemingly no furniture except the bed and two side tables. There was one window that spanned an entire wall, one of the panels open. A breeze was coming through, along with a noise she wasn't familiar with. Something she knew from movies, she guessed- city noise?

City noise? What on Earth- she was from a small town in Utah for goodness sakes- the biggest city around was two hours away. She didn't think she was in Utah anymore. The air wasn't as fresh and there weren't any mountains from her view, just other skyscrapers.

She hurt when she moved. She looked down to examine herself.

She was wearing a large shirt that hung off her shoulders and a pair of shorts that were a bit too tight across her hips that weren't hers at all. Why was she wearing someone else's- what had happened? Had she been drugged and taken here? What-? Her head throbbed as she tried to remember-

She pulled her legs off the bed, and her right leg immediately shrieked in protest. The pain brought a memory back instantly. She'd been shot, she remembered, and she'd seen Iron Man, and- Bruce had been the Hulk. The Hulk, from the Avengers. Processing it all- she looked to her leg, but it was neatly bandaged. Very neatly, so she couldn't see anything.

With an injury, shouldn't she be in a hospital? Was this a hospital? No- hospitals couldn't be that different in New York, she was sure of it. And there was nothing to say that it was a hospital. No tubes, no IVs. She knew her fair share of hospitals, to say the least, and this was not a hospital.

She slipped off the bed, ignoring her pained leg, stumbling down. There was a step, one that elevated the bed off of the floor about a foot that she had not been expecting. She groaned, pushing herself up, pushing the sleeves of the overly large button up shirt so her hands could move freely.

She padded – well, limped, her way across the marble floor- at least she thought it was marble. It was cool on her feet. She reached the door, and, looking back to the bed for a tentative moment, left the room.

The hallway was long, and she was close to an end. She chewed on her lip. Maybe this wasn't the best idea after all. Too late now. She just wanted to know where she was-.

Things started coming back to her as she walked, or hobbled, leaning against the wall.

The man with the jet pack, how she had lost Bruce's jacket in the mayhem, how Iron Man had showed up, how she had laughed when he called Bruce four eyes. How Bruce was the Hulk.

The Hulk.

She had always assumed the Hulk was just that- that he stayed green always, big, green and menacing- he was so terrifying up close. Iron Man hadn't been able to corral him. She had been-

No. She hadn't been. She hadn't been scared. She remembered- she ran up to the Hulk-

What on Earth had she been-

"Good Afternoon, Miss Haven."

Stephanie jumped, shocked out of her reverie. She looked around for the British person, but found no one. Had she imagined the voice? Was she going crazy? Was she already crazy, and this was a psyche ward? No, it was way too nice, but the movies always made everything look dark and scary.

"Miss Haven, might I suggest you go back to your room?"

Again! She looked around- there should have been a person-

"Hello?" she queried nervously down the hall, the shirt sleeves falling over her hands again.

"Nice to make your acquaintance Miss Haven."

"Who said that?" she demanded, looking all around, frantically.

"My name is Jarvis, Miss Haven. And you cannot see me because I'm not human."

"Oh my gosh- the Avengers in JFK airport and now I'm hearing ghosts?" Stephanie put a hand to her forehead, back against the wall.

"I am not a ghost, Miss Haven," the voice sounded affronted, "Help will arrive shortly."

"They're coming to take me away, ha ha," Stephanie mumbled the melody under her breath. She stood, and looked skyward, "Can you, answer a question Jarvis?"

"Certainly Miss Haven," Jarvis answered politely.

"Where am I?"

"You are in Stark Tower, Miss Haven."

"Stark Tower?" breathed Stephanie in surprise. What on Earth was she doing in Stark Tower? In the middle of New York?

"Yes, Miss Haven."

"You don't have to call me Miss Haven," she said, moving forward again, "I'm Stephanie. Steph for short if you want." If she was going to talk to her hallucinations, she might as well be informal with them.

"Steph," Jarvis sounded as though he were trying it out. "Miss _Steph_, if you don't mind waiting-."

"Could you- tell me who else is in the building, Jarvis?" she asked him, and then it made sense. He wasn't a ghost. He was a computer program. Tony Stark was one of the most brilliant minds in the world. Of course he had built artificial intelligence into his tower. Probably had Jarvis incorporated everywhere, even his Iron Man suit. She laughed to herself at her stupidity, but in her defense, it wasn't every day she met an artificial intelligence- Jarvis, she reminded herself, "And it's just Steph. No 'Miss'."

"Steph-." He was seemingly having a hard time without the title. "Master Stark, Miss Potts, and Dr. Banner, _Steph_."

"Bruce Banner," she smiled, remembering the man she now knew as the Hulk, who she'd met over a spilled coffee cup, "Thanks Jarvis. Can you take me to him?"

"As I said before, _Steph_, help is on the way," he was obviously annoyed by the order of losing the title in front of her name.

"Who?" Stephanie wondered, "And if it bothers you so much you can add the Miss."

"Thank you, Miss Steph," he sounded relieved, "I think both Miss Potts and Dr. Banner are coming. And I think it would be best if you headed back to your room."

"Sorry, sir," she said, pulling herself up, "but I think I'm disinclined to acquiesce your request."

"What?" Jarvis sounded confused.

She smiled to herself, "It means no."

"Miss Steph-," but he was cut off.

She looked up with a start as an elevator door at the end of the hallway opened, and a tall, red head in heels clicked her way forward.

If it hadn't been for her kind expression, Stephanie might have bolted.

But she knew instantly who this woman was. It was the famous Pepper Potts, the renowned secretary of Tony Stark. They had started dating three or so years back, and it had been all over the news for a while. Scandal, or something of the like. But Tony Stark was used to scandal, and Pepper, being Tony's one constant person in his life for so long, knew how to deal with anything anyone dished out.

"You're Pepper Potts," said Stephanie, and smiled out right. She was a fan. Especially as a hopeless romantic, she had liked that both Pepper and Tony had remained together for so long. It didn't happen with types like Tony Stark, and Pepper? She had to be a marvelous sort of person to keep him for so long.

"Indeed I am," Pepper nodded. She thought of her as Pepper off hand, she knew that much about her. "And you're Stephanie Haven."

"Yeah," Stephanie nodded, and then felt instantly guilty, snooping around Pepper's house. Well, Tony's house, but it was the same thing, right? "I'm- sorry, I was just-."

"Miss Steph was refusing to go back to her room," Jarvis tattled.

Pepper looked up curiously, "I – see you've met Jarvis?"

"Yeah," Stephanie made a face at the ceiling. "I was- just exploring." She felt like a child next to this amazing woman.

Pepper was kind though, "I think you'll be better off exploring once you've recovered. What do you think?"

Stephanie felt like she was back in grade school in an instant as Pepper had to help her back to her room.

"I'm- sorry," she said, embarrassed as Pepper led her into the room.

"Don't be. I think I'd be doing the exact same thing in your situation," Pepper grinned, helping her with the step up to the bed.

She felt more at ease instantly, "Where's Bruce?- I mean, Dr. Banner?" Stephanie wanted to know, swinging herself into bed gingerly.

"I don't know,- Jarvis?" she asked the ceiling.

"He's getting into the elevator as we speak, Miss Potts," Jarvis answered cordially.

Stephanie, folding herself back into the soft whiteness, watched as Pepper seated herself elegantly on the edge of the bed.

"So, Stephanie, I hear you got into trouble at the airport?" Pepper made the statement a question, prompting her to speak.

"Well, you know how strict security is," Stephanie smiled, and Pepper laughed. "No, um, well, wow." She looked up at Pepper, "I just can't believe…"

Pepper nodded, understanding exactly what she hadn't been able to put into words, "I know. It's odd, isn't it?"

Stephanie instantly agreed, "So how do you-?" she trailed off.

"Deal with it?" Pepper finished with a rueful smile, "I don't, really, I guess. He's always been an adrenaline junky-."

"I've heard," Stephanie nodded.

Pepper gave her a look, "The news doesn't cover half of it."

"Really?" Stephanie was surprised. Pepper nodded, exasperated. Something glinting in the corner of her vision finally caught Stephanie's eye. She looked down to Pepper's hands, where a beautiful, ornate ring glinted on Pepper's finger. "Oh!" she remembered Tony's reason for flying Bruce out to New York City. Tony and Pepper were getting married, "Congratulations on the engagement!"

"Oh, thank you," Pepper smiled very fondly down at her ring. "You know, I never really thought it would happen, but." She grinned up at Stephanie, "Here we are."

"Have you gone public yet?" Stephanie wondered aloud.

Pepper shook her head, "We are hoping it'll be quiet."

"Good luck," Stephanie said sarcastically before she thought about what she was saying.

"I know," Pepper acknowledged with the same tone, "We're holding it fast. I've barely got two weeks to put it all together."

"Two weeks? To plan a wedding?" Stephanie had been to enough of her friends' weddings to know how hard it was to cram a wedding plan into two months, let alone two weeks.

"Well, I hired somebody, but-," Pepper looked downcast.

"Oh gosh, Pepper- I mean Miss Potts," Stephanie corrected herself quickly.

"You can call me Pepper," Pepper smiled at her kindly, and Stephanie wondered how she could be so kind and so elegant at the same time, "Only Jarvis calls me Miss Potts."

"Does that bother you, Miss Potts?" Jarvis sounded self conscious. A computer? Self conscious? Of course, Tony Stark would be able to give Jarvis a conscious- the first real AI. She had to applaud his abilities.

"No, not at all Jarvis," Pepper told him immediately, almost surprised.

"You'll have to call her Mrs. Stark soon," Stephanie said with a smile up at the ceiling.

"Ah yes," and Jarvis sounded pleased with this, "By the way, Miss Potts, your wedding planner called to ask about flower arrangements. I told her you were busy at the moment."

"Thank you Jarvis," Pepper nodded graciously.

"You can call-," Stephanie said, realizing she was interrupting.

"No, trust me, you're _much_ more entertaining," Pepper told her, putting a hand over Stephanie's.

Stephanie smiled at Pepper. Pepper Potts had always seemed so nice on television, and she was so happy to know it wasn't an act. But Stephanie had some of her own questions to ask now, "So- how long have I been here?"

"You've only been here about sixteen hours." Sixteen hours- then Stephanie had definitely missed her flight to Frankfurt. Her dad was going to be so upset. "You were unconscious for a long time," Pepper said, thinking that's why she looked anxious, "but the doctor said you would come out of it today."

"Why am I not in a hospital?" her second question sounded impertinent, even though she hadn't meant it to be, but the statement about the doctor had made her ask it outright.

"Well," Pepper glanced sideways, "Since, since Bruce's transformation, and since you changed him back, we decided it would be best if we kept you here, safe."

What? Stephanie hadn't changed anyone- was she talking about how the Hulk had changed when, when Stephanie had touched him? She looked at her hands, and had to shake the sleeves down again.

The unfamiliar clothing prompted the third question, "And, I take it my suitcase went to Germany without me?"

"It did indeed. We're working on a wardrobe for you," Pepper said informatively, sounding like a secretary for the first time since Stephanie had spoken with her.

"Oh," Stephanie was flabbergasted, "that's- no, not at all, please, don't."

Pepper smiled conspiratorially, "I'm afraid it's already done. I'm sure you don't want to wear Bruce's things all day."

"These are- Bruce's?" she looked down at the sleeves again in a new light, and blushed anew, thinking of the man in the airport.

"I didn't have anything on hand that would work for you. He offered so," Pepper said as though it were her fault that she hadn't had "anything on hand." Stephanie was bigger than Pepper she guessed. Pepper looked like a 2, or a 4. Stephanie was a 4 on good days, but mainly a 6, or a 7.

She would just have to catch up to her suitcase then, "Is it possible for me to call my parents? I'm going to need another plane ticket-."

Again, Pepper seemed reluctant, "Well, JFK airport is, as it were, under a state of repair at the moment, and your parents have been informed of the situation."

Stephanie smiled, "I've just got to get home to see my brother's graduation is all."

"I think," Pepper wouldn't meet her eyes, "I'm afraid, that's not possible."

"What?" Stephanie frowned, confused. Her brother's graduation wasn't until next weekend. She could make it in time, she was sure of it. She didn't need a Red Eye plane ticket.

"We need to keep you here for a while, and you can't travel very well on that leg," Pepper told her quickly.

Stephanie touched her wounded leg reflexively, still confused, "What do you need to keep me for?"

Pepper looked anxious, like she didn't know where to begin, probably sensing how on edge Stephanie was with this sudden "that's not possible" talk, when someone walked into the room.

Stephanie looked up, "Bruce?"

"Hi," he jogged to a stop, but didn't look at her, "Jarvis said she was awake." He addressed Pepper, slipping his hands easily into his pockets.

"She is," Pepper said, nodding, suddenly amused.

Stephanie tried to catch his eye, but he refused to look at her, "How is she?" he asked her. Asked Pepper, and not Stephanie, who was not sure why he wouldn't meet her gaze. He seemed, ashamed almost- but she had no idea why he would be ashamed. She must look a mess. Maybe he was ashamed of her? Her head was aching, and her odd conjectures weren't helping in the slightest.

"She- seems fine, Bruce," Pepper still sounded entertained.

"Good. Good," he trailed off.

"Your kit is in the bathroom, if you want it," Pepper suggested, raising her eyebrows at his thoughtful zoning.

He brightened a bit, "I do, actually." He was out of the room almost as quickly as he had entered it. She watched him go longingly, wondering what she had done wrong. What made him like this-

"So I hear you two met on the plane?" Pepper said with a knowing look, interrupting her thoughts.

"We did," she answered, surprised. And then understood Pepper's suggestive look with a blush.

Pepper's smile widened as Stephanie ducked her head, "And, hit it off pretty well?"

Stephanie looked mournfully after Bruce, long gone after his kit, "Obviously not."

"I wouldn't say that just yet," Pepper said evocatively, a conspiratorial smile on her face. Stephanie shook her head, and almost said, _Did you see the way he ignored me?_ when Bruce walked in the room, a bag slung over his shoulder. He set it down at the foot of the bed, and wordlessly began to rummage through it, putting on his glasses, a new pair Stephanie noticed with a bit of a smile. But she didn't know what to say, what to think…

"Do you know where Tony is?" Pepper asked politely, breaking the heavy silence.

Bruce didn't look up, concentrating, "He was in the work room when I left."

"Then he could be anywhere," Pepper said with theatrical exasperation, "Jarvis?"

"Locating him now Miss Potts."

"Thank you. I'll leave you to it, Doctor," Pepper said, standing with a kind smile, straightening her pencil dress.

Bruce looked up, anxious, glancing at Stephanie for the first time, "Oh, you don't have to-."

"Don't go," Stephanie smiled, hoping that Pepper knew she wasn't doing Stephanie any favors by leaving. She didn't know what was going on with Bruce, and she didn't know how to fix it-.

"I'll be back with that wardrobe," Pepper promised, grinning.

"Pepper-," she reached her hand out, but Pepper's back was turned, and her heels were clicking away as she headed for the door.

"Miss Potts, he seems to be on the move," Jarvis said to Pepper.

"He always is." Her voice was fond, and trailed away from Stephanie, leaving her and Bruce alone.

She looked to Bruce then, who was still digging in his bag, but his back was more rigid, more on edge. She didn't know what to do-.

"How- how are you?" she tried tentatively, staring at him, trying to ignore her thrumming head.

"I'm fine," he said sharply.

"O-oh. Good. Good thing," she looked down at her hands, dismayed, but the sleeves had covered them again. She let her fingers curl over the cuffs fondly, wishing she could talk with the guy on the plane, not this stiff, angry person.

"You don't-." But he broke off, shaking his head, delving back into his bag, and pulled out a stethoscope, which he slung over one shoulder.

"I don't what?" she clasped on to conversation eagerly, hoping it would alleviate the tension.

"Don't, have to be afraid," he said softly, delicately, lowering his head.

Afraid- it took her a moment because her head was spinning. Afraid. Afraid of him? Was that what he thought? Afraid of the Hulk? She shook her head, a smile starting on her face, "I'm not." And she wasn't- not really- well, a little, but, what she really was? She was curious. She had about five thousand and twenty one questions buzzing in her head about the whole thing-

"I won't transform," he continued, as though he hadn't heard her. "I don't lose control that often-."

"I'm not afraid," she declared, leaning forward, her mouth just about to form a question when he spoke harshly.

"You don't have to lie either," he had stopped pretending to search for the irretrievable thing in his bag.

"I'm not," she told him firmly, but he looked up at her, met her eyes with a skeptical, sarcastic look and she had to answer honestly, "Ok, I guess I'm afraid a little." He nodded with a sad smile, going back to his delving, and he didn't have to say "typical" for her to bristle at him. "But more I'm just curious." The last statement came out angrier than she'd meant it to, but he had written her off already as somebody "typical". That bothered her.

"Curious?" he wanted to know, his voice muted though he tried to chuckle through it, "About what?"

"About everything," she said, still a little ticked.

He looked up, pursing his lips. "Everything?"

She twisted her mouth at him, "Well, for one, how come you change into the Hulk? I mean, I always thought he was always that way- or, you were always that- er," she smiled up at him, hoping he would understand what she was trying to say.

He shook his head, "No, thank goodness I don't stay that way all the time."

"So is it you?" she wanted to know.

"No-," he shook his head, "it's- someone else. He gets, upset, when I get upset, or hurt, and fights his way out."

"So- when you got shot- he? Came, out?" she was tentative. She didn't want to step on toes, but she wasn't helping to make him less anxious by being anxious herself. Psychologists were supposed to be relaxing to be around. But it didn't help that her head was pounding.

"That's- about it," he nodded affirmatively.

"Do you have a mark?" she wanted to know.

That surprised him, "What?"

"A bullet wound?" she queried, peering up wide eyed, "A bruise? Anything?"

"No," Bruce chuckled, "No, I don't even get paper cuts."

"Lucky you," she told him, "So does he come out when you get paper cuts?"

"No," he said informatively, though he was smiling more easily now, "I heal. It's part of the, mutation, I suppose."

"So you're a mutant." Mutants were people who had abilities different from a regular person due to their genetic makeup. Mutants were suddenly popping up everywhere, with abilities that allowed them to walk through walls, have razors spring out of their knuckles, even gave people the ability to read minds. It was a huge battle in government, mutant rights.

Stephanie's dad wasn't a huge fan. He didn't like anyone cutting corners, as it were, though he wasn't big into anti-mutant rallies either. Stephanie didn't really know how she felt about it. She would love an ability sure, but she wouldn't want the attention that came with it. There was a mutant girl at her university with blue hair. Apparently her hair glowed in the dark. She tried to claim it was the hair dye she used, but no hair dye could light up a room no matter how awesome it was. Finally she'd owned up to it. She was the life at raves and stuff, because her hair pulsed when it moved. It was pretty cool, but Stephanie couldn't imagine being her roommate. It'd be like having to sleep with the lights on.

"In a way, yes," he said shortly, and finally pulled out a bottle of something, triumphant, "Here. I told you before I was a doctor right?"

"Yes," she nodded once, remembering that conversation on the plane, wincing when her head hurt.

He looked at her sympathetically, but didn't meet her eyes, walking towards her, "I'm just going to check your head. You hit it pretty hard."

"I vaguely remember that," she said teasingly as he bent over her head, moving her hair to the side to reach the sore spot. She was suddenly wholly aware that her hair could be greasy. She should have taken a shower first or something! She had to get her mind off of it. He was already touching her hair, damage done. "Ok, next question," she said firmly.

"More questions?" and she couldn't tell if he was dismayed or pleased now that she couldn't see his face.

"I have a few." Thousand.

"Oh that's right, I forgot," he sounded sarcastic, though not annoyed, "You're a psychologist."

"Not certified," she reminded him and then made a face, "And no this has nothing- I'm just curious."

"You know most people go running away screaming," he told her, touching something to her head that made her wince. A damp cotton swab.

"I'm not most people," she was still miffed that he thought she was typical, trying to hold still as he applied the liquid again. "How many people do know though?"

"Too many," he answered shortly, sadly.

It was probably a personal question, she realized too late, so she tried to cover it up with a statement, "I take it the Avengers all know."

"They do," he nodded, and she realized she really was prying a lot. She probably shouldn't be asking. It was his life… but she was nosy… "How many more questions do you have?" he asked.

"It'd take too long to count," she sounded a little more downcast than she meant to.

"Oh that many," and his voice made it sound like he was smiling. She couldn't help but smile too. "Well keep going, if you want. Understanding is clarity." It seemed bold for him to say, but she liked that he wanted her to know more.

It took her a moment to realize that she was staring at his button on his shirt. She blushed instantly, ducking away, "Don't move," he told her gently.

She had to ask another question, anything to get her mind off the fact that she was so close to him her nose could touch that button if he shifted so much as an inch, "So how did you become the Hulk? Were you born that way?"

"No-," he said shortly, and she was sure he wasn't going to answer her first question, when he spoke up, stepping away to look her in the eyes, "my, uh, father, did some testing on himself before he and my mother had me. It must have done something to my genetics, but, the other guy- he never appeared until I was exposed to gamma radiation."

"What were you doing with gamma radiation?" she wondered, and then, "I remember you mentioning it on the plane, but, what brought it on?"

He looked away, remembering, "I thought it was the key to becoming a super soldier. I was trying to prove-," he stopped himself short, half smiling as his head fell. He went back to working on the injury of her head, "It didn't work out in the end as you can tell."

She was bursting with questions now- a super soldier? Like Captain America? What for? Prove what? To who?

"Sir- Master Stark has asked me to inform you that members of the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization are here for you-."

"Who?" Stephanie wondered aloud. Organization?

Bruce was shaking his head like he was trying to concentrate on something, "J-Jarvis, can you stall them in the elevator- or- something?"

"They already know you're here, Dr. Banner," Jarvis told him, "The scene in the airport-."

"Right, right," Bruce waved him off, looking up to Stephanie with fear clouding his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Stephanie asked, feeling the anxiety roll off of him in waves.

But before he could respond, somebody was swaggering through the door. Bruce moved away, turning to face the entrance, and Tony Stark clicked his hands together as he came into Stephanie's view.

"Hey buddy, you gotta pack up. S.H.I.E.L.D. is here." And he was picking up Bruce's bag at the foot of Stephanie's bed before Bruce could ask,

"I got your memo,-" He sounded horrified, astonished. "And I thought you said-."

He was coming up to Bruce, who was still confused, "No time for chit chat- you gotta get- now,"

"They already know I'm here," Bruce pointed out as Tony tried to hustle him away.

"I know, I just don't want them knowing you're _here_ here," Tony told him, taking the stethoscope away and tossing it to Stephanie.

"Because that makes so much sense," Bruce said sarcastically, pulling his glasses from his face.

"Come on, come on," Tony was practically shoving him, "You," he pointed at Stephanie even as she was trying to get out of bed. "Stay."

She stared after them, confused. Shield? Shield was coming to take Bruce away? And Tony- , "Um but-."

Bruce looked around to her as Stark hauled him away, "I'll be back," he promised.

"Don't count on it Terminator-," Tony said sarcastically.

He looked to Tony, shaking him off, "You promised to-."

"Yes, yes I promised to play keep away, but right now we've got to-," but he stopped dead.

A large figure strode through the door, a long leather trench coat billowing behind him.

"Fury, nice of you to drop by," Tony said with a falsely cheery note in his voice.

"Dr. Banner, I heard you were in town," said a new voice that followed the trench coat guy in. He was tall, blond, and in a blue and red outfit, a star in the center- Captain America! Stephanie's breathe caught in her throat as Captain America shook Bruce's hand.

"Yeah, it was all over the news," a woman's voice entered, dressed in civilian clothing, with boots to her knees, but Stephanie could tell, this woman was in control. Her steps were calculated, precise, and even just walking she was obviously agile. Her hair was cropped short, curly, and deeply red in comparison to Pepper's bright sunlit color.

Bruce ducked his head at this last comment.

"Captain, it's a pleasure," Stark said, though it was sarcastically under toned.

Captain America scowled a bit, though said cordially, "Stark."

Pepper's heels came clicking in behind the pair of them, and she seemed a little frazzled.

"What happened to stalling them?" Stark asked her incredulously, spreading his arms wide in a question as he back tracked around them to get to her.

She looked helplessly at him, "They just-."

Stark leaving him left Bruce cornered by the group, "Look, I know I'm not supposed to be in New York-."

"No, you're not," the first man said, and Stephanie noticed with startled surprise that he had an eye patch over one eye- what was he, a pirate? "You're not even supposed to be in the country. I know about your little resort Tony rigged for you up in the Rockies, but for now we're willing to let that slide."

"You're not here for me?" Bruce sounded shocked, stepping out of Eye Patch's way as he continued to walk towards the bed.

"Yeah, you're not here for him?" Stark was at Bruce's side, obviously nervous as he glanced back at Stephanie.

Eye Patch reached her bedside.

"No. I'm not." Eye Patch stared down at Stephanie, the most formidable and most intimidating man she had ever met. She didn't know what to say- what? Was he here for her?

"What? Her? There's nothing interesting at all about her-." Stark was trying to step between her and Eye Patch, talking far too quickly, "Trust me. She's a 24 year old Army brat going to an obscure university in Utah, of all places, getting her master's degree in Psychology. She likes hiking, she has a black cat. And she writes. Poetry. It's pretty bad - Really, nothing at all of interest-."

"Hush it Stark," spat Eye Patch.

Stephanie gaped at him. How on Earth-. Listing off all those random facts about herself- and she hadn't published poetry since high school- oh heaven help her. If he'd gotten a hold of her high school poetry she'd rather die now-

Bruce was trying to get Eye Patch's attention, "Look, Director Fury, we're working on figuring it out-."

"I know you are," Eye Patch's gaze didn't waver as he stared down at her, "We plan on working faster."

Working faster on, "What-?"

The red headed woman spoke up, hands on hips as she leaned in on the situation, "We've got a team ready-."

"Hold on just a second here," Pepper stepped in, anger spiking her voice, "You can't just take her away-."

"We can," Eye Patch growled at her, so that Tony slyly sidestepped to be between them, "And we are."

"Take me where?" Stephanie wanted to know.

"Somewhere safe, I promise," Captain America said, and his tone, his face- she couldn't help but believe him- but somewhere in her didn't like it.

She looked to Bruce, confused, terrified. "But-."

Bruce wasn't looking at her though. He put himself in between her and the others so she couldn't see, "You're not, turning her into one of your lab rats, Fury."

"She's not safe here," the woman with curly red hair said.

"She's perfectly safe here," Pepper snapped back.

Stephanie reached out, grabbed the back of his shirt gently, as though the fabric held her in place, her head was spinning so. He leaned around, startled. "Bruce-," she whispered.

"And what were you planning on doing with her here, huh, Banner?" Eye Patch was in Bruce's face, "Keep her here until you could find out yourself? Test her blood, scan her brain, check her DNA for irregularities? Tell me that's what you weren't planning on doing."

Tony Stark inserted himself when Bruce didn't say anything, "_I _was planning on asking her first, instead of flying her off to some super secret base where she couldn't escape, which is."

The red headed woman snorted, "Right. Like she would have a choice."

"Look," Tony said easily, gesturing, "She's perfectly safe here, like Pepper said, and she's in a nicer room than you can afford, that doesn't look like a concentration camp, and," he looked back at her, tilting his head, before continuing, "she was happy, until you showed up- without knocking I might add. Also, I'm pretty sure any of the tests we run will be a tad more sophisticated than yours, so, the door is that way- we can try the whole knocking thing again."

"We're taking the girl."

The way Eye Patch said it made it sound so final. So resolute. She clamped down on Bruce's shirt harder.

"Take me where-," but Stark cut her off.

"You see," Stark said, stepping up to Eye Patch, touching his chest with the points of his fingers, "this is my house, building, running on clean energy by the way, which is something you haven't worked out yet, and she's my guest _so_, technically she's off limits to you." He pointed both of his index fingers at Eye Patch, "Maybe you want to get with the Planeteer program, since you're running a few years behind-"

Eye Patch tilted his head, "You want to tell me what's off limits to _me_?"

"I don't want this to get messy-,"

"Cap?" Eye Patch overrode whatever rant Tony was going to go into next, turning to Captain America, who stepped up with a nod.

"Yes sir."

Captain America pushed Bruce aside, and her hold of Bruce's shirt loosed. She stared after him, panicked-

And suddenly she was being hoisted out of bed by Captain America himself, which was something every normal girl should want, should dream of, did dream of, looping their arms around his neck and sighing happily, but she was struggling to escape, terrified out her mind- _what_ was going on? "Put me _down_!" she insisted.

"Trust me, Miss, we're going to keep you safe-," he told her, keeping a very effective hold on her as she tried to get free.

She looked back to Bruce, knowing full well now she was a goner. If Captain America was taking her away, he was taking her away. She didn't think Iron Man could stop him, and the Hulk-. Bruce met her gaze, his dark eyes full of concern, sparking with anger.

"Rogers," he pleaded, trying to intervene, "Don't do this-."

Eye Patch grabbed his attention though, staring him down, pointing at Stephanie, "_This_ is the first solution to your problem we have seen in years. We're going to do everything we can to figure out how it works-."

"That is a person, Fury," snarled Bruce, pointing at her too, "and I'd rather stay this way, forever, than hurt her- hurt _anyone_ just because there is a chance-."

"Yeah, and we haven't even determined if it was her. It could have been something I'd done," Tony said, hand on his chest, "Anyone think of that?" he asked, looking around.

"Stark," the in charge red head rolled her eyes.

But Eye Patch looked seemingly unsure momentarily.

"Dr. Banner, she'll come back in one piece," Eye Patch promised, regaining everyone else's attention, and Stephanie inhaled sharply. Horrible images of mutation devices popped up in her head.

Bruce's hand fisted. He was gritting his teeth.

"Look," Tony was in Eye Patch's face again, half pushing Bruce out of the way, "I don't know why you came here, because, you knew we weren't going to give her over, not without a fight, and really, you can't fight us-."

Eye Patch slammed his fist into Tony Stark's jaw.

Stephanie gasped as Tony sprawled.

"Tony!" Pepper shrilled, kneeling down to help him up.

Bruce started forward, and Eye Patch laid him out just the same, though Bruce didn't fall over, but against the bed.

The smack still resounded in Stephanie's ears- she yelled her fury-

Eye Patch cracked his neck, "There, now that that's settled," he said, turning to the red head, who was gaping in disbelief, though her eyes were fixed on Bruce, and Captain America, who seemed floored just like the rest of them, "Take her to the car, Cap," Eye Patch ordered, motioning to the exit.

"Don't!" howled Bruce, who was covering his face with his hands, heaving. His skin was tinting-

Was he losing control?

"Please don't struggle,-" Captain America told her as she accidently socked him in the jaw.

"Wait!" Stephanie cried, panicked, "Wait," she said, trying to free herself of the Captain's hold, looking back at Bruce, who was bulging at the seams, his muscles growing, his skin color changing to a bright green. She needed to help-

Everyone's attention had turned to Bruce when he roared. She felt the Captain's arms tense around her-

Tony was scrambling to his feet, hauling Pepper away, pushing her behind him as Bruce raged like a mad man, trying to contain it- to contain the Hulk.

"Put her down," Eye Patch ordered Captain America.

"Sir-," the short haired red head said, backing away in fear, pulling a gun out of nowhere, "shouldn't we-?"

"Captain!" shouted Eye Patch over a bellow, "put her down, now!"

The Captain put her down gently, and was starting forward when Eye Patch caught him by the arm, and shook his head. He then turned his eye to Stephanie. She blinked in trepidation. But she felt the need- the pull to help – thrumming in her-

Eye Patch shoved her forward.

She stumbled the several feet to Bruce, her weak leg giving out and she fell on all fours, not inches from where Bruce was changing, morphing. Somewhere terror was screaming at her to run, but she couldn't, wouldn't- her gaze focused on Bruce.

She made to stand as another roar ripped through the room, and she was touching him, shaking back the too long sleeves, and then grabbing an enlarging arm that was purely green. She clamped down on it as she felt him try to shake her off, lifting her feet right off of the floor, and she laced her fingers together to keep holding-.

Suddenly though, he was changing back. She felt something of herself rush through her, to where her fingers connected with his skin, more conscious of it this second time.

They were shrinking down, and her bad leg wouldn't support her. She fell into a kneel, her hands slipping from his arm. Her head pounded, and something dripped onto her arm, blotchy and red, staining Bruce's shirt.

She touched her hand to her face, and it came back crimson-

A nose bleed? She had never had a nose bleed in her life- she covered it with her sleeve, trying to stop the blood-

Someone was grasping her by the arms, and she protested until she saw it was Bruce kneeling down before her. He was whole heartedly surprised, and completely and unabashedly staring at her. And then a smile broke over his face like hope itself. She'd never seen anything like it- it stopped her breathe short. Her mind went blank. He was staring into her face in amazement and with such joy her heart swelled.

She smiled too, pulling her hand from her face and his expression immediately stopped short, concern marring his joy. She put her hand over her nose again, but he pulled it back, lifting her chin to examine her further.

The conversation that had been going on in the back ground finally caught up to her.

"I was 62% sure," Eye Patch was saying.

"What about the other 38%?" Tony wanted to know.

"Wait, you _planned_ this?" Pepper jumped into the conversation, her voice vexed.

"Yes I did." Eye Patch was standing firm, his hands behind his back, "I wanted to see if she really was what I was assuming."

"How come you didn't tell us that was what we were here to do?" Captain America was furious, "We could have gotten people killed!"

"Still following orders, old man?" Tony asked snidely.

"You stay out of this," snapped Captain America, and went back to arguing with Eye Patch.

Bruce regained her attention, "We need to get you sitting on the bed. Here," he said, holding a handkerchief to her nose, before he hoisted her up into his arms. And her stomach lurched, butterflies suddenly having a party where two seconds ago it had been churning in outright terror.

He placed her gently back onto the bed, and was helping her sit up, sitting on the bed next to her.

"Plug your nose. Like this," he said, taking her nose between his thumb and forefinger. She let her fingers take his place, clogging off her airway. "Lean forward," he instructed, tilting her head so it wasn't skyward. "Don't do that. You'll swallow blood that way."

"Sowhy," she said through her plugged nose, "I've nefer had ah nohzebleed befohre."

He smiled at her voice, "It- it's ok, don't worry about it."

"Don't question me, Stark!" Eye Patch's yell caught her attention with a jolt.

"Then get out of my house and we might send you the results if you ask politely-."

"Whaht iz gohing ohn?" she asked Bruce, exasperated, dizzy as Stark was ending his sentence with, "Maybe, probably not."

Bruce looked over to the group, before shaking his head, "I think Rogers just joined our team. He's, been working for Fury since last year." Since the attack on New York, he meant.

"Fury? Eye Pahtch?" Stephanie queried.

"Yes, Eye Patch," chuckled Bruce, his eyes laughing at her nick name, "And I, don't think Eye Patch is too happy about it. He just lost a good soldier."

"Tha besst sohuldier," she reminded him.

"That's right," Bruce said, looking down, with smile Stephanie was learning covered some emotion he didn't want to express, dark.

"We're leaving," Eye Patch- Fury declared, turning on his heel.

"Yeah, and next time knock," Tony called after him.

"You sure you want to stay?" the red head asked, leaning to one side as she looked up into Captain America's face.

He was furious, "I'm sick of him lying to get me to do things. And that stunt? He's nuts!"

"Yeah, you get used to it or you don't," the red head, who was beautiful Stephanie realized, seeing as it was the first really good look of her she'd gotten, told him with a nonchalant grace, "I'll get you your things."

"Thanks Natascha," Captain America told her.

"No problem, Cap," she patted him on the shoulder, and followed Eye- Fury to the exit.

The Captain watched her go, before turning to Stark and Pepper, who had been having a silent, non verbal battle about something, "So it's ok, if I stay here?"

"No-," Tony said immediately.

"_Yes_," Pepper overrode him quickly, glowering sidelong at her fiancé.

Tony sighed, rolling his eyes, but consented.

"We'll get you a room," Pepper smiled congenially.

"Thank you Miss Potts," Captain America half bowed.

"We're still not inviting him," Stark murmured.

"Of course we are-," Pepper said through her now forced grin.

"Inviting me to what?" the Captain wanted to know.

"The wedding," Pepper said over Tony's quick attempt at covering.

"Ugh-," he groaned, turning from the situation to cover his face with his hands.

"_You're_ getting married?" the Captain said in disbelief, laughter in his blue eyes.

Stark whipped around, arms wide as though to say, 'come at me', "Ok, why does everyone get so blown away by this- _yes_, we are getting married." He threw one of his arms over Pepper's shoulders.

Stephanie giggled, the noise funny with her nose plugged, as Bruce half smiled, one of the corners of his mouth twisting up.

"Soh tey are leavingg meh?" she asked Bruce, on edge still.

Bruce nodded.

"How come?"

"He can't fight three of the Avengers, now, can he?" Stark said, obviously still agitated, but had caught up on Bruce and Stephanie's conversation.

Pepper smiled kindly at Tony, who still seemed annoyed, before turning to face Stephanie and Bruce on the bed.

"Stephanie-, oh my gosh," she stopped dead at the sight of Bruce taking care of her bloody nose. "What happened?"

"I don' knowh," Stephanie shrugged. "Nefer habbened toh me befohre."

And then Captain America was standing over her, his blue eyes truly apologetic, "I'm sorry Miss, if I subjected you to this in any way."

"Oh," she half smiled, "Is noht a brohblem."

Bruce was rubbing the back of his neck, "Yeah, if that doesn't stop, let me know." He stood, pushing past Captain America abruptly.

"Wait," she said half heartedly after him as he left, but he was out of sight in an instant. "Fank you…"

Pepper smiled at her sympathetically.

"I'm Steve Rogers," the Captain said officially, offering her his right hand. She couldn't offer her own right hand, since it was plugging her nose, so she gave him her left, awkwardly shaking it. He smiled outright at the gesture.

"Stebanie Hafen," she smiled right back. "Nise toh meet yohu."

"Likewise."

But she was looking down at the bloodied handkerchief in her lap, wondering what had happened to make Bruce run away so suddenly.

And then all the sudden the world was tilting. There were three Captain Americas, and five Peppers- she fell back into her pillows, and closed her eyes to the nauseating sensation.

"Stephanie?" Pepper called out.

"Dr. Banner!" she heard Captain America yell.

Darkness consumed her thoughts, and she tasted blood in her mouth.

**A/N: I have to tell ya guys, this is probably the longest chapter I plan on writing. Again- there was just nowhere to break off! **

**Anyways, again, the feedback is truly appreciated. I love all feedback, and comments.**

**Thank you so much for all of your support! **

**You are amazing! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Dear Wonderful People,**

**Has anyone told you how very phenomenal you are today? Because YOU ARE! Thank you so much for your feedback, your kind words and following this story. It seriously is extremely kind of you. **

**This chapter is a little slower in comparison. I mean, poor Stephanie has to get some sense of all this.**

**But uh, but Tony Stark is, well, Tony. Again, difficult, but oh so funny. And we add a bit of fun with the Captain. Bruce, of course, is in it.**

**And for those of you asking who Stephanie will end up with, all I can say is read. ;) **

**Thank you again, and Enjoy!**

Chapter 3

A kind, assured voice woke her from the darkness, and something warm moved away from her, "Bruce, it's late."

"Hey Pepper," said another voice, groggy, "I didn't know- I can wait."

"You've been waiting for ten hours," the first voice told him, kindly exasperated. "Jarvis will alert you when she wakes up."

"Thank you Pepper," that was her name. Pepper. Pepper Potts, the kind, elegant lady marrying the illustrious Tony Stark, "I'll be fine."

There was another gap, a space of time where no one spoke in her blackness, where she was all too happy to stay.

Out there it was all so convoluted, all so terrifying.

There was a green monster that she had to keep at bay. There were people in eye patches after her.

There were broken airports and screaming people. A missed flight, the time she'd been looking forward to spending with her family.

Her family who she hadn't seen since Christmas. Her family, who had been planning on travelling to England with her when she got there, after her brother's graduation. She didn't know how to cope with it. She couldn't cope with it right then. She just wanted to sleep it all away…

Somewhere out there though was a man. A man she had liked on the airplane. A man she wanted to get to know better, but was acting so strangely.

But was he worth waking up for right at this moment?

"Hey," barked a voice, jarring her out of blackness, "Out."

The patch of warmth next to her shifted again as a sleepy voice asked. "What?"

"Out," repeated the first voice, "You know, leave, depart. Get out. Get some sleep. What use are you going to be if you're exhausted?"

"Did Pepper send you?" the second voice, the one who had been talking with Pepper- Bruce, the man she'd been thinking of. The man on the airplane, the man who was the monster but was so far from a monster… Bruce- he was worth waking up for- she made to fight the darkness, but-

"Bruce, seriously? Out," the first voice told him sarcastically.

"Tony-," Tony Stark? She wondered at Bruce's voice, but she couldn't make her mouth move.

"Out," Tony Stark ordered, "Don't make me say it again."

The warmth was entirely gone now. A pair of arms had been folded to make a pillow for Bruce's head, she understood now. That was what had been emanating warmth next to her, "And you'll wake me up if she does?" Bruce asked tiredly.

"Sure, sure," Tony told him.

There was a space of time, where from under her eyelids she saw a bright light flash on overhead-

She was shocked into full consciousness when something bashed her in the face.

Tony Stark towered above her, holding a pillow. "Hi."

She scrambled to sit up, but he didn't pause for very long, tossing the pillow onto the bed and sat where Bruce must've been sitting.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced," Tony said, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, "I'm Tony Stark."

She returned with her own name, almost wary, "Stephanie Haven."

"Stephanie Haven," he repeated sitting back, as though weighing the name in his mind by saying it out loud, "Stephanie, Haven. And," he sat forward again, knitting his hands and pointing at her with both his index fingers, "you're the cure."

Stephanie was confused, "The cure to what?"

"Well, we don't know yet. The Hulk is still in there, that much we're sure." He spoke very rapidly, so his pauses weren't really pauses at all, but she caught his words. He was one of the most intelligent human beings on the planet. He had to speak quickly, "However, I'm not going to believe that you're the god send of a mutant that Bruce thinks you are either. What's your angle?"

That completely caught her off guard. If she had been standing she might have fallen over, "What?" she managed. An angle?

"Your angle, you know, obtuse, acute, right?" Tony's head tilted one way to the next with every different kind of angle, before, "No seriously though. What are you gaining from this?"

She'd didn't- "I don't-."

He continued, not waiting for her, "Maybe not an agent, but I don't think that you're a girl from Utah. Your father's in the military. Tell me about him? What does he do?"

Yes her father was in the military. How had he known that? Oh that was right- the memory of him knowing about her high school poetry publishing flashed before her mind. She blanched at that memory, "He flies helicop-."

"No, no, I know his cover story," he waved that explanation away. It took her that much to remember he probably could hack military intelligence in a heartbeat if he wanted to, "Colonel Haven, Apache Long Bow helicopter pilot. Now tell me what he does. Science division? What is he doing over in Germany?"

Science? Her dad? He was a history buff, not a science geek. "He commands a battalion- he trains other pilots, takes them on training runs?"

Tony rubbed his chin, "Maybe you _are_ an agent. You lie pretty well."

Offended, she tried, "I'm not ly-."

"And "I'm not" going to believe you two just "met" on a plane," he told her with a skeptical look.

She frowned, shaking her head, "I don't know what you want from me, Mr. Stark, but I-."

He interrupted her with a wave of his hands, "Look, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way, and you might be good, but trust me, _Stephanie_, I'm better," he had leaned so close that he was only half a foot from her face. With that he sat up, back, and his eyes flickered to the ceiling. "Jarvis?"

The voice from overhead, the British one, spoke out, "Her heart rate was elevated during your questioning sir, though I have to say you're putting a lot of pressure on her."

"Damn," he swore, looking to Stephanie, "You are the real deal."

She was still a step behind him, "What are you talking about-?"

"If you weren't the real deal your pulse would have been steady," he sat back, spreading his arms wide, "An agent, because they're trained to lie without clamping up," he said as though it explained everything.

And then she realized that he meant he had thought she had been a spy. She could barely keep up with his train of thought. She definitely wasn't a spy, but before she could even say anything, he continued, "But you can't make me believe he just sat by you on a plane. Life doesn't have that sort of coincidence. It's improbable. Almost 100%, alright, more like 97.8% improbable, but," he tilted his head back and forth.

She shook her head, "What are you saying?"

"I am saying, Miss Haven, that you're an experiment of some sort. That you were created just to be his control," he sniffed at her, looking to study her face.

"I wasn't created, Mr. Stark-," she tried, infuriated at that accusation.

He pointed a finger at her, "But you were tested on."

"No-."

"It would be helpful if you told me what got changed about you. Did they chemically alter your DNA? Change your brand of shampoo?" he wondered.

"I doubt it's her shampoo," a new voice entered into the conversation.

"Bruce," Stephanie looked up at him in relief as he walked into the room. He looked irritated, and again he wasn't looking at her. His eyes were focused on Tony. It was aggravating, though not as aggravating as-

"Welcome back," Stark said amiably, though obviously guilty, "That was fast."

Bruce's eyes narrowed, "I thought you were going to tell me, when she woke up."

"Who told you? Jarvis?" he demanded the last word at the ceiling.

"Guilty as charged sir," came an automated reply.

"Traitor," grumbled Stark.

"I only did as he told me too, sir," the voice from above and all around seemingly reminded him.

"What were, you two talking about?" Bruce asked him, hands in his pockets, his head coming up at the last part of his sentence.

"You," shrugged Tony, sitting back in his seat, "I think she's working for S.H.I.E.L.D."

Stephanie felt her irritation spike afresh, but Bruce inquired, "How is she working for S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Or was altered by S.H.I.E.L.D.," Tony nodded considering the possibility.

"What _is_ Shield?" Stephanie demanded.

"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division," Stark informed but knew perfectly well he wasn't informing at all, though it told her that S.H.I.E.L.D. was an acronym, "But you already knew that."

She looked to Bruce, who hesitated, before he said, "They're, basically an organization that keeps track of, incidents-."

"Catastrophes-," Tony inserted.

Bruce glanced at him sidelong, before finishing, "And people like- us."

People that could either protect or destroy cities without a drop of sweat is what he meant, "And the guy with the eye patch? He was one of them?"

Bruce interjected before Stark could say something snarky, nodding, "He's Director Fury."

"You answer to him, don't you?" Tony leaned in, peering through narrow eyes.

"Tony-," Bruce tried to pacify his friend.

"Just because she looks like some angel," he said, look up from Stephanie to Bruce, "doesn't mean she is one," he looked back to Stephanie, and gave her a false grin, "Isn't that right, Angel Face?" He patted her cheek like she was a child, and she flinched away.

It was like he was deliberately trying to make her mad, "What do they want with me?" she looked directly at Bruce.

This time Stark jumped the gun, "They want you back," Stark shrugged, "Maybe you're an _escaped_ experiment."

"I'm _not_ an experiment," she snapped at him.

Stark grinned, and faced Bruce, gesturing to her, "Oh look, she does get angry. See that?"

He rolled his eyes at his friend, "Getting angry around you isn't exactly abnormal."

Stark smiled good naturedly, "Then how come you haven't Hulked out yet?"

Bruce gave him a dead panned look, "You build up my tolerance for it."

"Oh yeah, that's right," Tony trailed off, before flashing a grin up at Bruce.

"What did I do?" she asked quickly, because getting two words in around Stark was turning out to be a feat, "Because I obviously did something- I know I didn't do my taxes in high school, but, it was just a steady babysitting job-."

"Seriously? Taxes," Stark's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"No," Bruce told her, ignoring Stark, "There's, a component in you, that puts the – the other guy back. We, don't really know what it is yet. It hasn't shown up in your blood, so we're looking for other things."

"Other things?" she queried.

"Yeah, like maybe it's all in your head. Or maybe it's something else. What are you, Asian maybe?" When both Stephanie and Bruce were quiet, Stark leaned back, spreading his arms wide. "What? Who knows? She could be Buddhist. That could be the key."

"She's blonde with blue eyes," Bruce said sarcastically. "And I lived in Asia for a few years, in case you forgot. I don't think the cure is Buddhism."

"Right," Tony peered closer, "Maybe 1/32nd Native American. I could see that. Or you could just be a Nazi experiment. That's why you were really headed to Germany. We've got a guy in the other room that really doesn't like people like you."

Infuriated, she looked up to Bruce for help, and he sighed, "Tony-."

Stark turned up to him, expectant. "What? You want a turn asking questions?"

"No-."

"Right- I'll go get some coffee," Stark grinned, standing, "Good cop," he patted Bruce on the shoulder.

"Is he always like that?" Stephanie wanted to know as Stark left.

Bruce gave her an apologetic look, "More often than not."

"How do you handle him?" she was trying her best to keep calm, because losing her cool to a genius billionaire philanthropist seemed like a bad idea, especially when you were stuck in his tower of all places.

Bruce sat down on her bed, slowly, tiredly, "Well, he likes me, so, it's easier."

"Awesome."

"What?" Bruce looked to her in concern at her severely sarcastic tone.

"The great Tony Stark has it out for me," she sighed. She'd never really had an enemy, so starting off with Stark and Stark Industries had to be a record. Maybe it was karma's way of balancing out her life.

"No, I wouldn't say that-," Bruce was trying to back pedal, she could tell by his tone of voice, "he's just protecting, me. I think."

That puzzled her, "Protecting you from what?"

"I'm not really sure?" Bruce half smiled, "From hoping too much, I guess."

"Hope?" she frowned, "Hoping for, what?"

"Hope- for me. For my, condition- well," he paused, knitting his hands together, "I've never had anything like this, happen to me," he stared down at his knit hands, "So hope, if it turns out you're not what you are, can be, dangerous."

"And that's your middle name, huh, Angel Face?" Stark was swaggering into the room, holding a coffee mug.

Actually, Hope was her middle name.

"Stephanie Danger Haven." He took a swig.

She glowered, "My middle name is Hope."

"Yeah, Danger is too bad ass for you. And here I was _hoping_ it was going to be Angel," he was standing over the empty chair, "What kind of middle name is "Hope"?"

"What kind of middle name is Angel?" she countered, and he smiled at her cheekily.

"What happened to getting coffee?" Bruce hadn't turned around to look at him, and therefore hadn't seen the mug he was holding.

"Got it," he proffered the mug into Bruce's face, who shook his head and smiled slightly, "There's a kitchen on this floor. Did you want some?"

"No. Thank you," Bruce told him easily.

"Haha, that's right. I don't think we have decaf-," and the joke on the plane, with Bruce's coffee cup finally made sense. He had to drink decaf to keep himself calm then? She liked understanding one of Bruce's inside jokes. "But if we're going to keep up with the whole good cop, bad cop routine you had better get out of-."

"Tony, we're, not interrogating her," Bruce told him.

"Right, right. Anyways," Stark said, clapping his hand on Bruce's shoulder, "Where were we?"

"Can I take a shower?" she asked Bruce pointedly. Anything to get away from Tony Stark.

Tony waved his glass at her, "No we're not-."

"Of course," Bruce said obligingly, almost as relieved as she was at the idea, "Can you stand?"

"Yes." She would stand if it meant getting out from under the thumb of Tony Stark. She swung her legs out of the bed, hiding that her leg screeched in pain when she did so. She bit down on her lip hard to keep from yelping, and forced herself to stand. Bruce helped her to her feet, and half carried her away.

"Really?" Tony Stark says as they made their way out, "What, are you planning on having a sponge bath?"

She would have to, she realized.

"We'll be back in a bit," Bruce called to Stark, and shut the door behind them. She sighed in relief, and he chuckled knowingly. She wondered what his full out laugh would sound like. She'd love to hear it- she loved his chuckles, his surprised chortle- he interrupted her thoughts, "You'll probably be glad to get out of those clothes."

She looked down at the button up shirt and shorts that were his, and now were ruined with her blood, "I'm sorry I ruined your shirt."

"That's ok. We're even now," he smiled at her, and she grinned back, thinking of the coffee incident fondly. To think all this started with a bad trip to the airport. "Did your new wardrobe come in for you?" he asked.

"I-," she paused, thinking unhappily of Pepper buying her a wardrobe, "have no clue."

They were at a door, "I'll see what I can find," he told her, opening the door, and letting her see. She gazed in amazement. It was a lavish bathroom, with gilded walls and ornamentation. There was a shower, and a huge bathtub, that she probably could have swum in if she'd been in better condition, and three sinks. Who needed three sinks? But there were bottles of shampoos and lotions, and she wondered what the point was of having a chandelier in a bathroom before Banner interrupted her thoughts, "Don't get all the way in. We need to keep that clean." He was pointing at her bandage on her leg.

"Ok-," she said turning to him. He had stayed outside of the bathroom.

"Towels are over there," he pointed to the wall fixtures where fluffy towels hung, "And if you- need anything-," he told her, and then looked up into her eyes. She loved the bright look back in them. He flushed a little, ducking his head, "Yeah."

"Thank you, Bruce," she told him, leaning against the half closed door.

"Not a problem," he smiled, half laughing as he turned down the hall.

She closed the door behind him with a sigh.

And suddenly wanted to go back out and talk to him.

No. She was escaping Tony Stark.

She was allowed to stay in the shower as long as she wanted to, right? She stripped off Bruce's shirt, and her own bra, and suddenly wondered who had dressed her after she had been brought to Stark Tower. With a blush, she prayed it wasn't Bruce. And with a spike of anger cursed Tony if he had come anywhere near her while she was naked and unconscious. And then felt pity for Pepper, because she was probably the one who had been forced to do it.

She slid off his shorts, carefully avoiding the bandage that hurt, and, then- boxers? She was beet red with embarrassment. Not that she hadn't worn boxers- she had a nice pair of Batman ones that she adored, but – these were plaid, maroon mostly. His boxers.

Putting the garments on the floor in a neat pile, she hobbled her way over to the bathtub, gritting her teeth against the pain. There was no way she was going to be able to take a shower, and there was no way for a proper bath either. Sighing, resigned, she sat on the edge of the magnificently huge bathtub, and turned on the water. Steam immediately enveloped her, and she sighed into it.

A moment to think without anyone talking to her, without anyone yelling or arguing or interrogating, to wonder in peace. She needed this…

Her immediate thought was something that Tony had called her. He'd called her the cure. Cure- did it have something to do with the Hulk changing back into Bruce when she touched him. That rushing feeling, like something had left her, instilled in him-. That had to be it.

She was puzzled.

So. She was the one that had changed him back, had kept the Hulk at bay. It was her. That's what Fury had been testing. Of course, she had known this subconsciously, but thinking it out right kept her sane. Kept her train of thought flowing.

So if she was this cure, what did it mean? Did it mean staying at Stark tower- did it mean blood tests, like Fury had said? Brain scans, have her DNA re-fabricated so they could produce some sort of serum? That would make sense. They would need her blood, then, she realized. Well, she already knew her blood donating arm. She was O+, which gave to all blood types, but that was nothing special.

But- What if they never found out what made her tick? What made whatever component was in her work? What if they never found that? Would she ever be allowed to leave? Would she be stuck in this tower forever? No. Bruce wouldn't allow that. Would he?

She barely knew Bruce Banner. Why did she trust him? Was it those eyes? Those eyes that she could trust and stare into and laugh with-

But would being with Bruce Banner, someone she hardly knew, mean losing her old life? Everything was changing so fast. So very fast. Would it mean she was stuck in this world filled with men with eye patches and iron suits and be forever surrounded by city noises? She couldn't imagine never seeing the mountains again…

It would be useless to stay in this tower though, if Bruce Banner was going to leave after Tony and Pepper's wedding, forced to live on the outskirts of humanity- but would he be forced to live that way with her around? If he was, would she go with him? Travel the world with him-

And suddenly, the image of he and she in Asia, backpacking to Tibet just because they wanted to visit, was so appealing to her, leaving her master's degree to the dust, leaving her family almost completely behind except for postcards seemed almost inconsequential. It seemed wonderful, perfect, laughing, sleeping under the stars, an adventure everyday-

If that was what she was going to have to face, that didn't seem so bad.

But what if it was worse than that? What if she did turn into one of Eye Patch- Fury's lab rats? Would Bruce allow that? Would he even have a say if he and Tony were working too slowly? To be stuck forever in a concentration camp of a room- the images of her under testing equipment with sharp spikes and buckles to hold her down suddenly flooded her mind again. But- would any of this work? Would they be able to find out anything, or what she was?

Because was she a mutant? Was she an experiment? What was she? She didn't even know…

Someone knocked on the door.

She jumped.

She had been sitting on the edge of the tub, letting the water run over her feet, the steam soak her hair, and cloud up the rest of the bathroom. She felt guilty for letting so much water go to waste, and swung her heels over the bath tub edge as someone knocked on the door again.

She wrapped herself up in a towel, and limped over to the door of the bathroom. Opening it, peeking through the door, she found a set of clothing folded up on the ground for her. Bruce was walking down the hallway, hands stuck in his pockets.

"Thank you!" she called to him.

He turned, and then stopped himself from turning, and waved as he quickened his pace down the hall. She smiled after him, before picking up the clothing, and putting them in the bathroom.

She got down to scrubbing, keeping her bandage away from water, but it still got wet. She winced when she felt water press into her wound, hissing.

Washing her hair was harder. She had to crane around, and the shower pelted her head where it hurt, giving her a fresh headache. However, there was no end to the soaps and shampoos in the room that she happily used until she was smelling fresh and clean, perfumed to near perfect purification.

She got out of the shower finally feeling wholly refreshed,-

- when she slipped on the ground.

She landed on her tail bone with a yelp of pain. With a groan she pulled herself up with the help of the tub edge, pulling a towel down over her just when someone came bursting through the door.

Captain America in an undershirt and shorts leapt into the bathroom, looking for trouble- and went bright red as he saw the scene before him.

She let out a small scream before she could stifle it, "What are you _doing_-?"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He was covering his eyes, staggering backwards. "I thought someone was in trouble!"

"Please get out!" she was trying to be polite to _the_ Captain America, but she was on the floor, naked, with only a towel and her arms covering her, and her stupid leg wasn't helping her stand. "Get out!"

"What's going on?" someone from behind the Captain wanted to know- he sounded indignant-

It was Bruce- and now she was the one who went crimson. He looked skyward, and then was turning around.

The Captain was trying to explain, "I thought she was in trouble-."

"Is this a peep show?" Tony Stark's voice sent her over the edge as he leaned around the other two.

"Get OUT!" she yelled, scrambling to stand, picking up a plastic bottle to throw at Stark's head with the hand that wasn't holding the towel over her body, "_OUT!_"

"I'm sorry!"

The door shut behind them, or it shut mostly since the Captain had busted part of the frame in his haste to reach the scene of the crime, and her leg was killing her, and she felt close to tears.

Tony Stark had seen her half naked strewn on the floor of a bathroom. Of course, that didn't bother him. He'd probably seen a lot kinkier- and Captain America just barging in without knocking or anything. And Bruce- oh Bruce-

Embarrassed tears welled in her eyes. She was so silly, she realized.

Of course they were men, good looking men. They'd seen worse, she rationalized, or more, or whatever but-.

_But they had never seen _her, she thought angrily.

She was being ridiculous. They had just come to the rescue- sort of. At least Captain America and Bruce had- Tony. Made her scowl.

She just wouldn't think about it. It never happened.

Like that was going to work. Tony seemed like the person who would never let it go.

Well, there was no point in moping- she couldn't stay in here forever… But maybe she could wait until everyone was asleep? Did Tony Stark or Captain America sleep? She didn't know.

It was pointless to be arguing about it with herself. She was 24. She was a woman. She would stand up and dust herself off, and pretend it never happened. That was that.

She dried off, and noticed that her bandage wasn't just wet, it was bloody. She must've split something scrambling to stand- Excellent.

She started to laugh- maybe she was hysterical. She was certainly acting like it- crying one moment, and laughing the next. There was just so much emotion to life right at that moment, maybe she didn't know how to cope with it…

She put on some clean underwear, and wondered for a split second how they knew what bra size she was, but let it go. She didn't really want to know. A light grey camisole and a pair of long powder blue pajama pants later she was more content, brushing her hair out with a brush she had found, but she hadn't found a blow drier.

"Jarvis?" she asked.

The reply came automatically, without missing a beat, "There is no hair dryer in this room. I will tell Pepper that we need one-."

She liked Jarvis, she decided. Subconsciously she had known that too, but thinking it outright made her fonder of the computer program, "Don't worry about it- I can tell her. Thank you Jarvis."

"You're welcome Miss Steph."

She dried her hair off as best she could with her towel, and slid the button up the front matching pajama top over the camisole on. She looked young in these pajamas, especially since what she normally wore to bed were a pair of beat up shorts and a t shirt. She gathered Bruce's clothing in one arm, holding it to her gently, before making to leave. She paused at the door, hand half extended to the knob.

She couldn't stay in here forever, no matter how embarrassed she was. And she was wearing very modest pajama clothing. And hiding in a bathroom from Tony Stark seemed childish now that she was clean and ready to face him.

She pulled the door open, not needing to twist the handle since the frame was busted, and hobbled down the hallway, using the wall for support. Her leg was excruciating, and watery streaks of red dripped from her bandage down to her leg, ruining her pajamas. She had to stop to breathe, gritting her teeth.

Maybe a shower had been a stupid idea after all.

She finally made it back to her room, and opened the door-

All three men were there- arguing-

She frowned at them as Bruce looked up at her.

"Are you-?"And then he saw where her skin was wet, where the bandage had soaked through her quaint pajamas in a red, wet mess, "What happened?"

"I slipped on the tile," she ducked her head, her hair probably making her look like a drowned cat. "And I don't think standing up helped either."

"Here-."

And he bent, lifting her up in both of his arms gently- she let out a small cry as he carried her to her bed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Tony and the Captain- Steve Rogers, she remembered- stopped arguing to watch him set her down just as gently.

"Let's get that re-bandaged," he said calculatingly, pulling back the sheets from under her, and then smiled sympathetically, "I have to grab my kit."

"Right-," Stephanie nodded. He was letting her know he would have to leave for a second, leave her alone with Tony Stark. Well, not entirely alone.

He gave her a reassuring smile, before turning, looking at Tony as he passed, and left.

Both Steve Rogers and Tony Stark were staring at her. Steve Rogers looked abashed, and step forward first.

"I'm sorry Miss Haven," he said, his eyebrows pulled together as he stood next to her bedside. "I'm truly- I heard your yell, and then a -."

"No, no, it's fine," she said, running her fingers through her wet hair. "Don't even worry about it."

"Oh I would worry about," Stark said, hands behind his back, "All American Boy here just saw his first naked girl today. How do you feel?"

That made Stephanie blush to her roots (she sure did an awful lot of blushing around here), and Steve Rogers scowled at Stark. "Do you mind?" he asked, annoyed.

"So how come you both don't get along?" Stephanie asked them pointedly, hoping to blatantly keep conversation away from what had happened in the bathroom. She personally never wanted to remember it again, or have them remember it.

"We get along, right?" Tony clapped Steve Rogers on the shoulder with a falsely large smile.

Steve Rogers begrudgingly added, "I say we get along just fine."

"Uh huh," Stephanie said with a twist to her mouth, "And you quit working for S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Yes," Steve Rogers sighed frustrated, "I did."

"Finally sick of taking orders?" Tony chuckled. "Or are you still-."

"What are you going to do now?" Stephanie said before Tony could finish his sentence. Tony wet his lips, blinking in agitation.

"Well," Steve Rogers said, sitting down in Bruce's chair, elbows on his knees as he leaned closer, "I don't know, to be honest, Miss Haven."

"I'm sure you can find a job,-" but Tony snorted, turning away, as she glared up at him, "-and you'll be really good at it too." The last bit sounded lame she knew, but Stark was on her nerves already.

"I'm sorry-," Tony was pretending to stifle his laughter with a hand, "I just had this great mental image of him flipping burgers down at McDonalds."

"Go away," Stephanie snapped childishly.

He smiled, leaning in closer, responding almost as childishly, "It's _my_ house."

She sat back, tight lipped, "Isn't there somewhere else that you can go bother some_one_ else then?"

"Probably," Tony tilted his head back and forth, back and forth, "But wouldn't want to leave you alone un-chaperoned, Angel Face." He patted her cheek infuriatingly.

Jarvis' voice came on overhead, "Sir, Miss Potts is wondering where you are."

"Probably wondering if we should have lace doilies on each table for the reception," he said under his breath, making a face, before he clapped his hands together, "Well, I'm off. Keep your hands to yourselves."

"Well that was easy," she said, a little loudly, but Stark merely waved her comment away as he half ran away.

As he walked out of the door, Steve Rogers turned back to her, "I think he likes you."

She couldn't hide her disbelief, "What?"

He nodded, a small grin on his face, "I really think he does."

She raised her eyebrows at him, "You're kidding, right?"

"He treats you nicely-," she deterred him with a scoffing noise, before he finished, "In comparison to me."

Now that she could believe, "Yeah he seems to hate you. What _did_ you do?"

The Captain shrugged, "He hates to follow others' leads."

"And you are the Captain of the team," she nodded, remembering the media's take on Captain America's return from the dead, and how he was in fact the leader of the Avenger's team. But saying it like that made it sound as though he were on the high school varsity football team.

"So Miss Haven-."

"It's Stephanie," she told him automatically. This last name business was really not something she liked. She had never really been a formal person, and, well, if she was going to know the Avengers, then she was going to be on a first name basis with them for goodness sakes.

"Stephanie-," nodded Steve Rogers, opening his mouth to continue.

"Bruce," she interrupted him, looking up at the doctor with a smile. He seemed perturbed again. She wondered what Tony might have said in the hall. And then she realized falsely accusing Tony of anything was probably not being very kind to her host…

"Hey," he said with a half glance up at her, setting his kit on the bed again.

"So, Dr. Banner," Steve Rogers said, more serious now for some reason, "when are you planning on running tests?" he glanced at Stephanie nervously.

Bruce looked up, "When she's fully recovered," he looked at her furtively, "with her permission, of course."

"You have it," she said quickly, without thinking.

That surprised Bruce, "Are you-?"

But Steve interrupted, "You don't even know what they're planning on doing,"

She shrugged, "It's ok. I trust them more than I trust Eye Patch."

"Who?" Steve Rogers was confused, and Stephanie remembered too late Eye Patch wasn't his name.

"Fury," Banner answered with a small smile. "She means Fury."

She smiled at him, and he put on his glasses. She pondered aloud, a thoughtful finger tapped her face, "Does he have a hook?"

Bruce snorted.

Steve was confused, "A what?"

"You know," Stephanie made a hook with her forefinger, "a hook, to match the eye patch?"

Bruce was ducking down to control his laughter, shaking his head. She grinned broadly at that.

"Doesn't he look like the swashbuckling type?" she prompted.

"He _does_ control a ship," Bruce added, feigning thoughtfulness. "A very large one at that."

"Then he definitely has a hook," she said with fake severity, "hidden under a fake hand I bet."

"I wouldn't be surprised. I wonder," he chuckled, and she couldn't help but love his smile, "I wonder if he has, a parrot in his quarters?"

"Oh of course he does! No pirate captain can do without!" she declared, flipping her now drying hair over one shoulder. "And I'm sure he does have his treasure chest somewhere in that ship of his."

They were both laughing now, and Steve Rogers was laughing with them, but it was good to hear Bruce's laugh, Bruce's real laugh-.

"I thought I heard laughter," Pepper smiled, carrying in a tray. "What's going on?"

Steve said amid chuckling, "We're just making fun of Fury."

Bruce and Stephanie glanced at each other, smiled in unison, and then looked back to Pepper, who was setting the tray on a bedside table. Who was making fun of Fury again?

"I just thought you might be hungry," she said to Stephanie, kindly, before turning with hands on her hips to, "Captain Rogers, what are you doing out of bed?"

He looked immediately guilty, "Well, that's kind of a long story ma'am-."

She interrupted him smoothly, "Here, tell me about it while I take you back to your room."

"Alright," He stood, nodding at Bruce, and then turned to Stephanie with a smile, "Nice to see you again Mis-," he paused, catching himself, "Stephanie."

"You too Captain," she saluted him. She did know how to salute, that's what probably caught him off guard. Right hand, straight fingers, 45 degree downward angle- well, her dad was in the military. She'd seen it half a million times she was sure.

Pepper winked at her, taking Steve's arm. Stephanie twisted her mouth at Pepper, but she turned away, and clicked out of the room with the Captain in tow.

"So," Bruce said, stopping her thoughts at Pepper and her obviousness, crouching down with bandages and bottles that he laid out next to her, "Is he, everything you thought?"

"Who, Steve?" she was surprised that he remembered her mentioning him on the plane.

He nodded stiffly, before his lips pursed and he was looking down, "Steve," he repeated, sounding muted.

She didn't know what to make of him sometimes, but she answered as best she could, "Um, sure, I guess," she wasn't as swoony as she thought she would be. Of course, everything was happening all at once. She had never really expected to meet Captain Steve Rogers at all. "I didn't, I don't know-."

"Didn't what?" he asked, "Can you lift up your pant leg for me?"

She did as he bid, "Well I guess I didn't expect any of this. I mean, I have a bullet wound. Who has one of those?" She was rewarded with a smile, a shake of the head, but she could tell, he was still listening intently as he peeled away the old, wet bandage. "It's- just all happening so fast."

He nodded at that, but his mouth was closed, that left side of his lip, though uneven let her know he was concentrating. She liked that she knew him well enough already- she leaned around to see what he was doing, after opening a bottle.

"Hold still," he instructed when her movements shifted his work from his fingers.

Immediately she was apologetic, "Sorry-."

"N- Don't be," he said, smiling up at her quietly, but he was still far off, intent with his work. He was bandaging the wound back up again when Stephanie realized they'd been sitting in companionable silence. He was almost done though, she could tell by the way he slowed.

"Thank you," she told him when he pulled away, rolling her pant leg back down.

"For what? I'm- what got you into- this." He motioned to where her wound was.

"Exactly." When his brow knit together, unsure, she explained, "I mean, my whole life is completely different now- because, really, who stays in Stark Tower? But um, I don't," and she couldn't help but break into a beaming smile, "I don't know anyone who wouldn't be thrilled by this! As long as I'm not stuck in Stark Tower alone, I think I'll be fine-."

"It's actually more relaxing that way, when Pepper and Tony leave," Bruce told her, and a smile was on his own face, "They're- they're kinda like a tornado, the both of them."

Stephanie nodded as he went to put his equipment away, her gaze wandering towards the windows, "Yeah, I can definitely see that."

"But-."

She looked to him immediately, "But what?"

"Don't, don't you want to go back? To school, to see your family?" he asked, his tone muted.

That startled her, "Of course! That's still an option right?"

"Yes, very-," he was nodding so rapidly that he had to pause to finish, "very much so," and he was back to working on sorting his kit out. Honestly by the looks of it she was going to have to organize it for him. "It just sounded like…" his voice trailed off.

"Like what?" she prompted.

He smiled grimly, "A bullet wound isn't the best way to start out the week."

She had to agree, "No, no it isn't. But, meeting you, meeting the Avengers has got to be the best-. I mean life has to balance out right?" she asked him, cocking her head to one side.

He ducked his head at that, and paused his hands, "I sincerely hope so." With that, he zipped up his bag, and slung the strap over a shoulder. He was obviously about to go. She wished he would stay, but she knew he was tired. He had been asleep sitting down earlier. "Try and get some rest. Eat first."

"Alright," she told him, thinking rest was not really what she had on her mind right at that moment, "I'll try. Thank you Bruce."

"It's, -," he shook his head, before meeting her eyes with his bright, black ones, "You're welcome." And the sincerity of it made something in her catch, halted some vitality in her, so the next second he was turning away.

"Bruce?" she wished he wouldn't go.

"Yeah?" he faced her again.

But she couldn't make him stay. He was tired. He'd had a long day, probably longer, "You- you get some sleep too."

"I will," he vowed, "Good night, Stephanie."

"Good night, Bruce."

And with that, he was gone, leaving her to her very late dinner and a very full head. And for the first time in two days, she laughed to herself, she fell asleep without passing out.

**A/N: So what did you guys think? Not as much adventure I know, but-. Did ya like it anyways? **

**Next chapter coming soon! **

**Thank you for all your support! Please leave feedback it's so very appreciated! **

**Also, do you think I should write other's perspectives, or should I stick with Stephanie? :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Dear readers—**

**I'm so sorry! There is no excuse for me taking so long, but I'm going to give you one anyways. My parents and family live out of state. They come to visit me every summer, and they are very wonderful people who I never get to spend time with so every chance I get I spend most every waking moment of theirs with them (I stay awake til much later in the night than they do) so all I've been able to do is piece thirty minutes here and an hour there to write this chapter- and plus I've been starved of internet for about two weeks now- this is my first internet connection I've had in ages I've been dying! No seriously out in the middle of nowhere Idaho NO ONE has internet, and it's been awful!**

**Once they leave I promise I'll be more constant! (because I'll be nearer an internet source!)**

**For now, I give you this! :)**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 4

Stephanie didn't get much sleep, but it was mostly dreamless, and very peaceful. She remembered seeing Bruce, hand extended towards her, but that was all she could conjure when she awoke.

Whatever Bruce had put on her leg last night was absolutely amazing. It was soothing, and she barely felt any pain. She woke up to feeling truly fresh.

Once again, she was startled by her surroundings, but it didn't take her limping down the hall and Pepper to come after her to figure out where she was this time. She sat up, and stretched.

And decided that she couldn't spend one more moment on bed rest.

So, she asked Jarvis who else was awake.

He replied no one, and that it was five twenty-three in the morning, so she should probably get some sleep herself.

She shook her head as though he could see her, which he might be able to, now that she thought about it, but said aloud, "I've slept for almost 36 hours straight. Can I walk around?"

"Can you? Your leg-."

"It's feeling great," she cut him off, and it was true, and also, she was hungry again, "But, breakfast sounds nice. Is that ok?"

Jarvis answered swiftly, "There is a kitchen on this floor, Miss Steph. I shall direct you to it."

"Thank you, Jarvis."

"You're very welcome Miss Steph."

She swung her legs off of the bed, and stiffly got to her feet. When she put pressure on her leg, it did hurt, so she limped her way into the hallway.

The hallway was long, but it didn't have many doors. At the far end was the bathroom, where the door was still busted from Captain America's antics the night before. She grimaced at the memory. The end closest to her held the elevator. Her door was next in the line. After that there were two more doors on the same wall, and then one across from the middle door. Five doors, one elevator. She at least knew this floor now. Well, she knew what two doors were. One had to be a kitchen. Another?

"Is Steve Rogers sleeping on this floor?" she asked Jarvis as she made her way down the hall.

"Yes, in the room closest to the bathroom," Jarvis replied easily.

"That explains it," she murmured to herself.

Steve Rogers sleeping near the bathroom did explain how he'd heard her when she'd slipped, and come running to her rescue. She twisted her mouth again, trying not to remember, and left that train of thought for a different one.

"So do you talk to other people besides Tony- Stark- much?" What was she supposed to call this man? Because sometimes he really was Stark, and other times he was Tony. It depended on what he was doing…

"Mainly Miss Potts, Miss Steph," Jarvis answered courteously.

Stephanie was a bit relieved, "Oh good. I like Pepper." She didn't know why she was relieved, but being stuck talking to Tony all day? It sounded really- antagonistic.

"And not Master Stark?" Jarvis sounded puzzled. "And this is the door to the kitchen Miss Steph."

"I – hmm." How not to anger your host by telling his butler computer program that he's an arrogant jerk. She twisted the knob, "He's, argumentative and quick. It's hard to like him when he doesn't like you."

"I believe that he does like you though, Miss Steph," said Jarvis.

Stephanie twisted her mouth at the ceiling, still pausing at the door, "That's what Steve said. Why do you say that?"

"Because he has offered you a place to stay while you recover," he said, and it made Stephanie bite her lip guiltily. Here she had been angry at the man all night long, and he had offered her food and shelter. She wasn't being kind at all. "And also you offer his friend hope. It's this door Miss Steph."

That was a ridiculous notion, she thought as she opened the door and the room lit up at her presence.

"Can I have cereal, Jarvis?" for some reason she always looked up for his answer.

"Of course Miss Steph. There are boxes in the cupboards, and milk in the refrigerator."

As she pulled out a box of cereal, she remembered a different question, one that she'd thought of earlier, but hadn't asked since she hadn't been alone with him, and really, it seemed an odd question to ask, but, she did so anyways, "Jarvis, what's it like, being an AI?" she wanted to know as she sat down at the island counter on a stool, her bad leg dangling.

"It's -." And Jarvis hesitated, and it was something he obviously never did because he continued, "Nobody has ever asked me that question before Miss Steph."

"Well, I'm curious."

He seemed uncomfortable, "Maybe another time, Miss Steph. I believe Captain Rogers is coming."

"At this hour?" she wondered, looking to the clock. It was five thirty on the dot, and she understood, "Well, I suppose he is military," speaking more to herself than to Steve as he walked into the room.

"Miss Haven," Steve said, startled, and when she gave him a look, he corrected himself, "Stephanie."

"Morning," she told him with a smile.

He was still wondering over her appearance in the kitchen, his brow knit, "What are you doing up so early?" he asked as he pulled a bowl down from a cupboard.

She shrugged, swallowing her mouthful of cereal, "Well, I just was tired of sleeping I guess."

"I know the feeling," he told her with a curt nod. She realized too late she was probably interrupting his day plan, or something, as he sat down next to her, using the same cereal she had pulled out, before he asked, "How is your leg?"

She smiled brightly, "It's fine. It feels great this morning, actually."

He obviously liked her enthusiasm, "That's good news."

"So what are you going to do with your day off, Captain?" and then she amended, "Or do you have a day off?"

"I do," he told her, and then his brows knit over his blue eyes again, "I don't know yet," he sighed, "How about you, what are you going to do?"

She looked around the very nice kitchen, and noticed where the coffee machine Tony obviously used last night was, "Well, I want to see the rest of Stark Tower, I guess. And I want to get started on the testing."

"Already? Before you're recovered?" he wanted to know.

"The sooner they can find out what makes me tick, the sooner I'm home free," she answered simply.

"You want to leave then?" he asked, and the question wasn't accusing, or angry, or sad. She didn't know why he asked it, but it sounded a little like- envy?

"Oh, not really. I just hope that I can be useful, you know?" she told him, trying to understand why he would be jealous. Was it because she got to leave if she wanted? Couldn't he do the same? Was the super soldier tired? Of being a soldier?

But he seemed to like her response, "I understand that completely. Well. Let me eat first and then I'll give you a tour." He took a bite of cereal.

"You'll give me a tour?" she asked eagerly, eyes brightening at the thought.

He nodded, trying to talk around his mouthful, "Sure, why not? The Avengers live here from time to time."

She was elated. She was going to see the rest of Stark Tower led around by Captain Steve Rogers, _the_ Captain America. She couldn't begin to marvel at it all. "So Captain Rogers-."

"Enough with the Captain stuff," he swallowed, "if you're Stephanie, then I'm Steve."

"Steph for short," she told him with a curt nod.

"Steve," he pointed to himself with his spoon, and then gestured to her with it, "Steph."

She laughed, "Alright Steve."

She liked Steve- and not in the way she had thought she would like him. She had expected to swoon at his very presence.

But- she wasn't. Swooning, that was. And she was happy she wasn't. She liked him the way she spoke with him now. She had been afraid she wouldn't be able to get a single word out around him. But here she was, talking with Captain America as they ate the same cereal, and joked, and laughed, and she liked how amiable he was, and that seemed to be enough. There were no butterflies chomping their way through her intestines, and, she was honestly glad about that- those butterflies were eating away enough as it was.

Steve seemed the same way- like he needed someone sane to talk to. She couldn't imagine that there would be a lot of sanity when it came to his life.

As he finished, and did the dishes, which he insisted on doing, he turned to her, wiping the suds off his hands, "So, how do you want to travel?"

"Jarvis, are there any crutches in the house?" she asked the ceiling.

"Yes, Miss Steph. Miss Potts acquired some earlier when Master Stark twisted an ankle. They were stored downstairs."

"Alright- do you think it's ok if I use them?" she asked him, tentatively.

"I see no reason why not, Miss Steph," Jarvis was compliant, kind. She really did like Jarvis, even if he was a computer program.

"Thank you Jarvis," she smiled.

"You're very welcome."

"Very welcome?" Steve repeated, giving her a look with his eye brows raised.

"What?" she asked, brows furrowed at him. It was like he was accusing her of something.

He just shook his head, "Nothing. Here. I'll carry you down-."

"No, no, I can walk," she told him quickly.

He looked at her sarcastically, "We don't want that to split open again do we?"

"Yeah, but-." But she didn't think she could have him carry her like a damsel in distress everywhere. She would rather have it split open again, even if it meant having new stitches.

"Allow me." He turned, and crouched down to the ground.

Immediately she smiled. This she could do, and not even feel guilty about it.

She climbed on, piggy back style, and he grinned around at her, before hoisting her up, holding her aloft by her legs, and made for the elevator, walking smoothly.

"Thank you," she smiled at him.

"Not a problem," he told her easily, and it didn't seem to be a problem for him, and then she remembered he was a super soldier. He probably didn't have problems carrying a single person around. Maybe five, or ten, but one, small girl? Probably not. They stopped at the elevator, and Steve asked, "Jarvis, the elevator."

"It's on its way, Captain Rogers," Jarvis told him, sounding a little terse.

Stephanie half frowned, before adding half heartedly, "Thank you Jarvis."

They heard the elevator coming, but then it passed them by, up another few floors. Stephanie frowned, wondered what had happened, but before she could ask, Steve spoke up, "Jarvis, we need it to go down."

"Master Stark wants use of it as well." How come Jarvis sounded frosty when speaking with Steve? Was it because Steve didn't say thank you or was bossy? But Stark had to be the same way. And what if she was just making it all up? She probably didn't even know what she was talking about. AIs couldn't have attitudes, could they?

"This early in the morning?" Stephanie wondered aloud.

"Master Stark is an early riser Miss Steph," Jarvis told her as the elevator started to descend again.

"He would be," she mumbled. Who would have thought? If she were a billionaire she would sleep in. Maybe that's why she wasn't a billionaire yet. She slept in anyways.

The elevator doors slid open smoothly, and there, coffee in hand, stood Tony Stark, in obviously nothing but a bathrobe, holding a steaming cup of coffee. Instantly Stephanie wrinkled her nose at the smell.

"Morning," he said, nodding to them as Steve walked in, as though Captain America carried people around on piggy back at six in the morning all the time. But Stephanie still couldn't get over the fact that he wasn't wearing more than a bathrobe- he had company in his house- tower- whatever. "What?" he asked her, and Steve she realized.

"Why aren't you – decent?" Steve asked uncomfortably.

"I am decent," Tony gestured to himself, incredulous, "I have a bathrobe on. I can take it off if you-."

But Steve was shaking his head, "No, no, thank you." Stephanie couldn't help but agree with the sentiment.

"Where do you think the term stark naked came from?" Tony asked without missing a beat. Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"Tony," Stephanie asked tentatively.

"Yes Angel Face?" he asked, sweet sarcasm dripping at the nick name.

She almost didn't ask the question she was so immediately ticked. She inhaled, before inquiring in a too polite tone, "Can we borrow your crutches?"

The elevator slid to a stop.

"Why of course. I even think they're on this floor," he walked out, and Steve followed, "Why?" Tony continued, "You don't want to be carried around like a sack of potatoes anymore?"

Steve made some retort back, but Stephanie's gaze was immediately drawn elsewhere.

This was Tony Stark's work shop. All around her were tools, tables of them, and tech that she couldn't name, wired, or wireless, some panels from the ceiling, computers and screens and all of it brightly lit by florescence.

The room was huge, but sectioned, organized but unorganized. There were obviously several projects going on at once, and each one looked more enhanced and complex then the next. She gasped in wonder at the line of battle suits, the evolutionary stages of the Iron Man. She couldn't help but smile when she saw a little trophy case containing a circle of light, like that one on Tony's chest, that read on the frame, "Proof that Tony Stark has a Heart."

"Yeah Pepper actually remade that for me when the first one smashed," Tony tapped the very glass cube she had been looking at. There was obviously a story there, but she didn't pry. He was holding the set of crutches out to them, she realized. Steve was setting her down as gently as he could. She stepped down, balancing on her good leg until the crutches got wedged under her arms. She smiled her thank you to Steve for carrying her when Tony cut her off with the clap of his hands, "So, when do we start the testing?" he rubbed his palms together.

"What testing?" Steve asked, brows knit as Stephanie tried out the crutches.

Tony pointed to Stephanie, "Her testing. You can go back to your regularly scheduled programming."

"What testing?" Stephanie asked instead, giving Steve a sympathetic glance.

"If we are going to figure out how you work, we need to start. Quickly at that. Here, lets get you sitting." He patted to a half empty table. The other half held a disheveled metal back pack. One that Stephanie recognized. It was the jet pack the man who had challenged Iron Man in the airport had been wearing.

"Is that what I think it is?" she asked Stark as she pulled herself up onto the table.

He had walked away, but glanced back, "Yes it is. We're trying to find out who made it. It shouldn't be too hard now that I have everyone's full attention again. Well, most of it."

"What do you mean?"

But Stark had moved on, was leaving the room. "If you would leave, Captain?"

He left them, untying his robe as he did so.

Steve looked down at her as she swung her good leg, staring up at him. She smiled reassuringly, "I'll be ok."

"I hope so," he said, pursing his lips. He was obviously not comfortable with this situation. She honestly couldn't say that she was either, but she was willing to lie to keep him and Tony from fighting. She wasn't the biggest fan of who-has-the-bigger-stick battles.

But then Tony came back into the room, tugging a shirt over his chest that read AC DC on it with a lightning bolt in between. A fan of the classics, then- she approved. She could appreciate that about Tony Stark at least. She wondered how he felt about the Eagles.

He was bringing screens to life all over the room as he walked in, touching places mid air to make them spark blue, "I'm going to look up Hank McCoy's work on mutant genes," he said, not looking at her, and already she could see someone's face that read "Dr. Henry McCoy" on one of the screens, pulling up files, "We should be able to synthesize something that- what are you still doing here?" he was talking to Steve.

He pointed at Stephanie, "I'm making sure you're not using her."

"Using her? Of course we're using her," Tony moved on, was multitasking now as he went, "She has the code to the cure locked somewhere inside her DNA."

Steve glowered, "You know what I mean."

Tony paused again, "Seriously? Leave. I'm trying to figure out how to fabricate a serum using her blood. You're not helping the process along." He went back to hitting buttons on a screen, mumbling to himself as he went.

"I'll be ok," Stephanie repeated quietly.

Steve ducked his head, speaking only to her, "I'll go wake up Dr. Banner. He'll look out for you."

"What about Bruce?" Tony looked up, inquisitive.

"Yes, what about me?"

Stephanie beamed as Bruce half jogged to them out of the elevator rolling up one of his sleeves. "Morning," she said cheerfully.

He smiled at her, though ducked his head a little, "Morning. H-How did you sleep?"

"Great," she shrugged, "albeit, not much. I've been asleep for a day and a half."

"Try seventy years," mumbled Steve.

"How about you try it again, and get back to us," Tony cut in, fake smiling at Steve. Steve shot a glare at him, before nodding to Bruce, and raising his brows at Stephanie, who nodded. He obviously felt more comfortable leaving her there with Bruce, and honestly, she couldn't help but agree.

As Steve left, Stark rolled up her pajama sleeve, and was applying an alcohol swipe as Steve looked back at her from the elevator. She waved to him with her free arm, but he continued to glower at the elevator doors slid shut.

Bruce had her full attention now, not that he hadn't had it before, but that she couldn't help but love the way those bright black eyes looked to her, but then his brows drew together, anxious. She wondered what was going on as he spoke up, "Don't you think we should-?"

And then the needle stuck in her arm. She let out a yelp, before declaring indignantly to Tony Stark, "There's a better vein for that!" She watched the blood drain through a tube from her arm, gritting her teeth at him.

He shushed her, and then asked a miffed looking Bruce for another vial. He scowled as he handed it to Stark, who switched vials deftly.

They proceeded to drain fourteen vials of blood, leaving her arm feeling weak and woozy. After that the left her alone for about two hours, in which they examined her blood cells, and spoke to one another in code. Of course, it wouldn't have been code if she knew medical terminology. Alas she didn't.

"Is there," Tony said, looking at a blown up image of her blood cells drifting around, as he rubbed the stubble on his chin, "any medical history we need to know about?"

"About my blood?" she said, twisting her mouth as she thought, "Um, I heal slowly. My blood doesn't clot like normal. Bruises I have last for weeks. They said it was vonWildebrand's disease, but another doctor refuted that. So I don't know. I just know I'm always too anemic to donate blood."

"Yeah," Bruce nodded, not looking at her but at one of the screens as he held open a folder that he scribbled notes in every once in a while, "Yes. It says that in your medical file."

She raised her eyebrows in astonishment, before glowering around at Tony, "How did you get a hold of my medical files?"

"I downloaded it," he told her flippantly, and she scowled. Of course, but not everything in the world should be his plaything, "Everything's on the internet these days dear and it's only a matter of time before some gets it. Be thankful it's us, and not some whack job."

"Aren't you a whack job?" she grumbled, scooting herself back up on the table.

Bruce choked on a contained laugh.

Every now and then they would go off on a tangent together, and leave her completely in the dust, during which time she would talk to Jarvis.

She would ask him to define things, and to tell her about the things they were speaking of more simply. He was a translator, if she could be so bold to say, and even though this was the English language, she did not feel like she knew at all what they were speaking of.

Around nine in the morning, Pepper came down with breakfast, and offered Stephanie a sympathetic smile, before she spoke with Tony briefly, sweetly, before he'd pressed forward, and begun to kiss her.

Bruce looked up from his work to ask Tony something, totally oblivious to Pepper's presence, until he saw Pepper tug a very succumbing Tony, back into the back room where he'd changed earlier. He'd been so far off in his work that he hadn't even noticed. Stephanie was blushing bright pink when Bruce looked to her for an explanation.

She shrugged, laughing embarrassedly.

He pulled off his glasses, and smiled at her. "You've been here this whole time too, haven't you?"

"Yep," she told him, biting her lip.

"Sorry," he shook his head, before gesturing to the room, "W-we just-."

She was quick to tell him, "No! No don't be. It's fascinating, to watch you work, both of you work."

He smiled crookedly, looking bashfully downward, "I don't know about that, but-."

A noise interrupted him mid sentence, which was followed by a cackle of a laugh as something metallic clanged against the floor. They were obviously getting more physical.

Bruce met her eyes, flushed with discomfiture, "Maybe we should -."

Stephanie was already nodding fervently, "Yeah." She was hobbling over to her crutches, when an arm came to support her.

"Here, let me help," he said kindly, his smooth calloused hands on her skin putting her stomach in gentle knots.

"Thanks," she smiled shyly, "Thank you," she repeated as he helped her with her crutches, and they headed towards the elevator.

"You're welcome. Maybe I can get you out of those pajamas-," and he paused himself, which made her rethink what he had said, and then blushed, glancing sideways before looking directly ahead, but he was already back tracking as a smile spread over her face. "I meant- you know, because they're, they're- dirty and we can get you into something more comfortable- I'm-." He stopped again, fumbling for the right words. She laughed, and he shook his head, smiling embarrassedly, "I'm just going to stop, stop talking."

"No, no- don't do that-," she said almost too quickly, because she liked when he spoke, and realized how forward she sounded. They stepped into the elevator and Bruce pushed the button for her floor, "Anyways." Her tone sounded off.

"Anyways."

They laughed together.

"No but a change of clothes would be nice," she admitted.

"I can show you how the wardrobe works." When she gave him a sideways glance, he said, "It's – tricky."

The wardrobe was tricky. He hadn't been kidding. It seemed almost like it was part of the wall, the door almost knit right into it, but once he showed her where the locking mechanism was, she was able to palm the door open.

And to her astonishment, horror, and a little egocentric delight, she viewed the monstrosity that was the wardrobe, and all it contained.

Changing into an outfit was a challenge. For one, everything was very expensive, more expensive than anything she had worn. Ever. She was normally a t-shirt and shorts girl in the summer, the entire get up no more than forty bucks, sunglasses and flip flops included. She was poor, she was a graduate with a job that barely paid for schooling, rent and the occasional half tank of gas in her car. She didn't afford clothing. She had splurged just two weeks ago and bought herself a sundress and that white shirt that had come across Bruce's coffee cup. This wardrobe contained thousands of dollars- even the jeans had to be worth at the cheapest 300 dollars. Who bought a 300 dollar pair of jeans?

She had protested and protested until Bruce had told her there was no fighting the Starks- or the Stark and the Potts, soon to be the Starks- but that she was complaining to the wrong person, and that they would probably give the clothing to children in need in when she was done with them.

Then had come the putting on clothing.

She hurt more than she had that morning, aching all over after their little trip up to her room, and her head pounded, but her leg- oh her leg was agony. She grit her teeth pulling on a pair of designer shorts, and called to Bruce on the other side of the door if it would be ok if she had a tylennol or something of the sort.

"Are you -?- I didn't even think- I'll be right back," he told her.

By the time she walked out of the wardrobe room, he had come back with his kit slung over his shoulder, muttering to himself, but as he passed he did a double take- and she couldn't help but smile, embarrassed but pleased, at the look in his eyes when they met hers.

The crutches helped her back down the hallway after she had some medication, and she wondered, "Do you think they're-?" she bit her lip, thinking of how awkward it was to ask the question aloud.

"I don't know-." He wouldn't meet her eyes, obviously as uncomfortable as she was at the thought, "Should we go back down?"

"Jarvis, is Pepper –," oh she didn't know how to word this, "is Pepper- still with Tony?"

"No, Miss Steph," Jarvis answered cordially, "she is currently speaking with her wedding planner."

"Thank you Jarvis."A relief, and somewhat of a sorrow. Obviously Bruce wanted to get back to work, still half a world away from her, but she still wanted to talk to him, to hear what he had to say.

"You're very welcome Miss Steph. Dr. Banner, Master Stark is looking for you."

Bruce half smiled again, casting a look ceiling-ward, "Then tell him we're on our way."

When they got down to the work room, Stephanie was left to her own devices as Bruce delved right back into work alongside Stark, who was remarkably more amiable, and much more productive. It was so- romantic, Stephanie admitted to herself as she bit her lip, smiling. It was romantic that Pepper was Tony's- muse as it were. She giggled to herself as Tony hummed under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing," she told him quickly.

He narrowed his eyes at her, but let it go, obviously in too much of a good mood to be annoyed at her fifth grade answer to his question. Bruce smiled up at her briefly, before he went back to work.

It was one of the few times that day that their eyes met. He was so consumed with what he was doing he barely even spoke to Tony, even though Tony talked to him, talked aloud, talked to himself. It seemed to help his thought process, though it obviously didn't help Bruce's. He sometimes looked up, perturbed, half grimacing at Tony, who would promptly go silent, but start waving his hands about.

They worked in tandem incredibly phenomenally however. They switched stations, passed notes, sent images from one screen to another where the other was working, find connections without speaking.

She was left to fend for herself, and she did, asking questions until Tony told her to shut up, in which case Jarvis would answer, and they got along swimmingly.

She often, however, came back to the jet pack. It was crumpled, and she could see where the Hulk's fist had caught at it, the groves where his fingers had been. Parts of it were dismantled, left on the white, lit table, where each piece was cast so it could be examined.

"This is odd," she muttered under her breath, smoothing over a symbol.

She had stopped by the jet pack again. It caught her attention often, since its owner had seemingly gotten her into this mess. Or this wonderland, she wasn't sure which quite yet. The symbol was set in a crumpled bit of metal, a picture of a hammer. She frowned at it, running her finger tip over the piece of metal again.

"What's odd, Miss Steph?" Jarvis asked politely.

"Miss Steph, Miss Steph," grumbled Tony aloud, coming out of his work reverie, "Can't you think of anything better to call her?"

"I'm sorry, sir, I've been specifically instructed to call her-."

Stephanie cut him off, glaring at an unwitting Tony, "You can call me whatever you want, Jarvis. I don't mind."

"Miss Steph-," Jarvis started, sounding anxious.

"Jarvis," Tony said, threatening, waving a tool at the ceiling.

She changed the topic, but her next question was still along the same lines, "Have you been able to interrogate the man you captured?"

"Who?" she had caught Bruce's attention, who pulled off his glasses to look at her.

"Sorry, we have a lot of those," Tony cut in, still reading something on a monitor, "Sometimes they're just petty criminals, and sometimes they're gods- more often than not-."

"The man at the airport?" Stephanie tried, stopping Tony mid rant, but he didn't seem to mind.

"Who, him? No, he's been unconscious," Tony answered easily.

"Do you think he was just a petty criminal?" Stephanie inquired, clasping her hands behind her back.

"No, Angel Face," Tony said, and finally gave her his full attention, "I think he was given tools, paid off to get into my tower. Luckily," he half smiled, going back to his work, "I have defenses set up for that sort of thing."

"He was easily apprehended," Bruce was saying, nodding in agreement, "It was most likely a warning, an Intel gathering gone wrong. Reconnaissance mission most likely."

"Who hired him?"

"We don't know," Bruce answered, when it was obvious Tony was going to call her stupid, or ask her not to ask stupid questions and then call her stupid. "Yet."

"Whoever hired him," Stephanie thought aloud, "They seem to be sending a message." But she realized too late it could be nothing, that it could just be a symbol for a tool factory where metal bits and parts were manufactured. But where did you manufacture jet packs for villains to use to attack superheroes?

Tony was instantly intrigued, coming towards her, "What message?"

She pointed, "There is a hammer on this piece, right here-."

Tony was pushing her out of the way, "Where?"

Bruce had come too, glasses still on as he leaned in, "Do you think Justin-?"

"He's still in jail," Tony murmured, "Though it would be like him, to set up a half attempt, getting back at me by attacking my tower. Idiot."

Bruce was inquisitive, straightening, pulling his glasses off and folding them, "Did Justin have the capability to use genetically engineered-?"

Tony shook his head, moving away, "No, no I don't think so."

They had left Stephanie in the dust with their half sentences, "What?"

Bruce answered her, "This jet pack," he gestured at it, "it can be controlled and balanced by the wearer's genetic code. We've- never seen anything like it."

"Jarvis, search that symbol," Tony ordered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Yes sir."

When Stephanie looked around, Bruce was smiling at her, "We- we might not have caught that."

"No, you would have," she told him, assured that her statement was true.

"Well," he smiled, looking at his glasses that he was tapping in his hand, before he looked up again, "Well done."

She beamed.

"Teacher's pet," snarked Tony under his breath as Bruce retreated back to his work, and Stephanie narrowed her eyes at him.

She wasn't much of a help after that, and there seemed to be a hundred million symbols with hammers in them, and none of them matched their symbol on the bit of jet pack. And the science guys had more interesting things at hand- like figuring out a cure for Bruce. The jet pack villain and his employers went to the back burner.

Around one in the afternoon, after Stephanie had inquired, and touched, and puzzled over pieces of equipment, other experiments that Tony was performing, and pictures on screens with Jarvis for what seemed like ages, she finally admitted to herself that she, was indeed, bored. They had needed her blood again, but only eight vials this time, but after that they had left her alone, to do with what she would.

Sighing, she asked aloud to the room, "Would it be ok, if I left?"

Neither of them stirred, except for Tony, who was flicking through images of blood on a screen rapidly. Bruce was hunched over a microscope, and scrawling something down. They probably thought she had been speaking to Jarvis, like she had been since this morning.

She repeated herself, more loudly, "Would it be ok if I left?"

Tony didn't turn to her, but his hand came up, "Hmm? Did you say something Angel Face?"

"Can I go?" she was blunter. Maybe that would help communication.

"Oh, yeah. Sure," he waved her off, "Honestly I'm surprised you're still here."

She gave him a deadpanned look, but his back was turned to her, and he was studying an image. Bruce still was staring into that microscope.

She twisted her mouth at the pair of them, before she limped to her crutches, and made for the door.

Bruce didn't even notice when she left.

As the elevator doors closed, she felt like telling them goodbye, but realized, it was a way to get their attention- his attention, to get him to care that she was leaving. He didn't need that. He was concentrating.

And yet-.

But Jarvis was asking her to push a button, and she was staring at the walls of the elevator doors.

"Jarvis, did any of my bags get saved?" she asked him as the elevator whirred upwards.

"Yes Miss Steph," he told her, his voice sounding strange in the small room, "Both your book bag and your duffle bag came here, though they are a little- tattered."

Once she found her book bag, and found her computer with a bullet lodged in it, she twisted her mouth to one side and put her bag down. It would be typical that her computer would be ruined. Karma had to balance out some way. Meeting three of the Avengers made it tip far out of balance.

She asked Jarvis if she could contact her family, and let them know she was alright, but the answer was no, that she was not yet allowed authorization to a telephone yet. She grumbled about that for a good few minutes, and, himing and hawing, arms folded across her chest. Nothing to do in a huge tower, locked up without contact to the outside world all because she wasn't trusted. She didn't like it, not one bit. She couldn't really go exploring either, even though she wanted to, because the crutches were inhibiting, and she assumed that she probably didn't have "authorization" to a lot of the tower anyways.

But something crossed her mind, something that would occupy her time in a wonderful way.

"Jarvis, is there a library?"

"There you are." A voice interrupted the flow of words her eyes had been following.

"Hi Pepper!" Stephanie replied cheerfully, looking up from the small tablet and uncurling from her spot next to a large window. The city below had splayed out for miles and miles, and she had enjoyed the sun falling across the sky until the city lights had lit up the world. All of this had been subconscious, of course, since she had been fixated on the tablet, that contained mountains, cascades, swamps of books, more books than she could ever read in a lifetime, books on every subject she could think of. If Stephanie was one thing, she was fond of reading.

Pepper's heels clicked closer to her, "Jarvis told me where you were."

"Well, I just am reading," she gestured to the tablet. She still wasn't sure how she felt about it. She liked the feeling of paper in her hands, and yet, she never had to worry about breaking the spine, or losing her place this way. She felt- on the fence.

"Did you want to join us for dinner?" Pepper asked kindly, sitting next to her.

"They're eating?" Stephanie was surprised. To her it seemed they had been planning on holing up in that room until they found a cure or died of exhaustion.

"Oh yes. I made them come out of that lab. Tony wasn't happy, and Bruce still snuck some notes along with him, but I wanted to have a sit down meal, with so many guests here." Stephanie had to gaze in Pepper in shock. Pepper was truly a force of nature, one to contend with the mighty Tony Stark. She couldn't believe that anyone could make Tony do anything- but- again, Pepper – Pepper was Tony's muse.

Stephanie was shaking her head, "You didn't have to-."

Pepper shrugged, "I know. I just don't get to use the dining table very often," she grinned teasingly, "Any excuse to use it."

Pepper helped Stephanie with her crutches, which Stephanie swore to herself she was going to get the hang of even if her underarms her for the rest of eternity, and they stepped towards the elevator in an amiable fashion.

Someone was already in the elevator when they arrived, however, "Steve!"

"Hey Steph," he grinned, moving over so both Stephanie and Pepper could enter, "How has your day been?"

"Um," Stephanie thought, and then said very sarcastically, "boring."

He caught her drift with a smirk, "I figured."

She remembered something from their conversation that morning, and it seemed a million years ago, as the elevator headed downwards, "What happened to that tour you were going to give me?"

"Tomorrow?" he inquired, sounding somewhat guilty.

"Tomorrow," she affirmed, dispelling all doubt from his expression.

"Got a date tonight?" Pepper asked teasingly, and Stephanie realized for the first time that he was looking rather spiffing, as though for an occasion of some sort.

At Pepper's words, something brightened in his blue gaze, "Actually, I did meet a girl today."

Stephanie grinned, surprised, pleased, "You did? Where?"

"She recognized me," he said, shrugging, and Stephanie knew he meant she had recognized that he was Captain America out of uniform. The girl had to be sharp to figure that out, or had have had to seen him elsewhere, somehow, "She was a girl at a café downtown."

"What's her name?" Pepper asked with a smile.

"Beth- Elizabeth," came the prompt reply.

"No last name yet huh?" Pepper teased.

"I hope to learn it tonight." There was a spark in his eye made Stephanie smile broadly- she knew that look all too well, having felt it all too recently.

"Well good luck!" Pepper told him cheerfully as the elevator stopped to let them off.

"And you the same." He was thinking, smiling, but something was troubling him as they stepped off. Troubling him, and she couldn't help but wonder what it would be. She saw something glint in his hand- a golden circle- a pocket watch? He was rubbing it with his thumb. He seemed miles- no, years away.

"Have fun!" Stephanie encouraged, half waving and balancing the infernal crutches.

"Thank you," he smiled at her reminder, "Bye." The elevator doors closed.

Pepper looked to Stephanie, who grinned back conspiratorially. They broke into laughter just as they entered the dining room, which obviously could double as a conference room, but, it was beautiful. Windows made up a wall on one side, and the lighting let the city give the room an ambient, hazy look. The table was long, black, with only four chairs that were set with square plates. Very modern, and very pretty.

She felt suddenly underdressed wearing shorts and wielding crutches in this fancy place.

Tony was already sitting at one head of the table, scanning something on a transparent tablet. Bruce, however, was standing, staring out of the window wall, hands in his pockets. As they entered, though, he looked around. And smiled.

"A-any progress?" she asked him, stuttering, the pleasant knots in her stomach somehow ruining her speech process.

He looked away at that, "We, made some. More than I hoped."

"We didn't do anything today," Tony told the room, and swung his head up to look at them all, "That's why I want to try a new tactic tomorrow."

"What tactic?" Stephanie asked warily as he looked at her, tucking one of his fisted hands under his chin.

"Angel Face," he blinked innocently, "How do you feel about hands on experimentation?"

**A/N: haha! A small cliff hanger- and don't worry, you'll get to hear all about the dinner next time. Don't you fret. **

**But until then, thank you so much for all the reviews, all the kind words and the wonderful encouragement. It is so kind of you to say all that you do! It makes my day! **

**Also, I'm sticking with Stephanie's point of view. As it was, people were so emphatic about it, I could only agree with them, and hope that the others don't mind her thoughts too much. I hope to be able to convey what they're thinking through her understanding and perspective. Thanks for your understanding-**

**Please review! It really does help! :)**

**Thank you again! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: YOU PEOPLE! You people are phenomenal! The feedback I'm getting for this story is great, and all helpful, and thank you thank you **_**thank you**_**! **

**Well, this chapter is dang long, but I hope you like it! It's- well, I'll let you decide that for yourselves! ;)**

Chapter 5

Stephanie was suddenly wondering what she had sighed herself up for. She was wearing stickers for goodness sakes- though the stickers were meant to help monitor something about the chemicals in her blood, or something of the such according to Tony. Still though, they made her skin itch, and she was leaning from side to side on her feet anxiously, like she was getting ready for a fight or something.

Ridiculous, because she wasn't going to fight anyth-any_one_, she corrected herself.

But, she was nervous. She clenched and unclenched her hands, her fingers twitching out of her control. She kept herself from biting her lip, because she didn't want him to see her anxiety. It wouldn't help anything at this point.

She stared across the enclosed garage at Bruce, who was still arguing with a suited up Tony.

"She's injured!" Bruce declared, gesturing at her without looking at her.

"Um, she's fine," Tony assured, pointing to her standing on her own two feet without crutches. "Look at her."

Bruce wouldn't have it. He was having a hard time forming coherent arguments now though, "At least, at least wait until she's healed." It was a repeat at this point, and it still didn't faze Tony.

"If we wait that long, I'll be married, and honeymooning in Tahiti," Tony countered easily, and self-centeredly. He paused, as though thinking over the destination, "Or, wherever I feel like honeymooning. I don't want to still be figuring this," his hand circled from Bruce to Stephanie and around again, "out."

Bruce had been much, much more emphatic about this last night during dinner. Well, before dinner. During dinner Pepper had made sure everyone wound down. Tony had been cheerful, and Bruce? He'd been downright churlish.

_"Hands on experimentation?" Bruce had demanded immediately, his black eyes sparking angrily, "What do you mean, hands on experimentation?"_

_ Tony looked calmly to Bruce, "You know full well what I mean."_

_ Their eyes met in understanding._

"_You-," Bruce was pushing the hair off his forehead, revolted and deflated, "you, you can't be serious!"_

_ "I'm very serious," Tony sounded very serious too. He leaned in, gesturing as usual, "Listen, you're not going to find out how it works without testing her abilities in any case. We spoke about this earlier."_

_ "I- I thought you were suggesting ideas-," Bruce paced away, hand falling from his forehead as he went, before he turned back to Tony, "There is no way we're putting her through this-."_

_ "She said she would help," Tony gestured to Stephanie, who suddenly came back to herself, realized she was in the room with them as this argument took place. _

_ Bruce strode back towards Tony, pointing accusingly, "I'm not letting you turn her into a lab rat either Tony-," his voice was angry, fervent, "And, and I'm not going to be the one to kill her-." _

_ "Wow, slow down, who said anything about killing?" Pepper inserted from where she was sitting. Stephanie hadn't realized she had sat, but she there she was, prim and elegant next to Tony._

_ "What do you mean hands-on experimentation?" Stephanie spoke up for the first time. _

_ "We have you counteract the Hulk while we monitor you," Tony was looking at her now, but she could sense he was still very aware of Bruce's position, "see if some chemical in your blood activates, because right now, we can't seem to find anything wrong with your blood, though Dr. McCoy believes-."_

_ "We should just fly McCoy out here-," Bruce suggested. _

_ "I really don't want to be cleaning up blue hairballs after he leaves, do you?" Tony made a squeamish face. _

_ "Tony, that's rude," Pepper scolded him. _

_ "What? It's true!" he declared, before he went back to the conversation, "We'll just see what we can do on our own first-."_

_ Bruce was furious, "You just want to be the one to fix the problem of the Hulk. You want to have another award, another- another title! The fabulous Tony Stark, Iron Man, conqueror of the Hulk-"_

_ "I want you to be able to live life,-," Tony broke over his words, though Stephanie could see his accusations had stung, deeper than Bruce could see, "And you'd use flying him here as a postponement until you could think of some other way to keep her away from the Hulk." _

_ Bruce flung his arm out towards Stephanie, "You don't care if it means maiming a stranger in the process-." _

_ She was a stranger? _

"_Nothing is going to happen to her," Tony assured again, his hands folded calmly on the table. _

_ Bruce was shaking angrily, but Stephanie could tell his argument was waning, "You can't-."_

_ "I'll be right there to step in if she needs any help," Tony promised. _

_ "I can't- I can't go through with this. You know I can't, I won't," Bruce let his head droop, "Let anything happen-." _

_ "I'll do it," Stephanie said aloud. Everyone's gaze was upon her, "I volunteer," she stepped up, and then realized how silly that sounded, "Or, whatever." She shrugged, before she looked at Bruce, meeting his black gaze. Obviously he had forgotten that she had a say in it, "If it means we can figure this out faster, then, yes."_

_ "See? She volunteers." Tony pretended like he hadn't forgotten too, waving in her general direction. _

_ "Tony-," growled Bruce. _

_ "Plus when you let yourself become the Hulk, you control it better," smiled Tony, cutting him off quickly. _

_ Bruce's mouth was pursed, "Tony." _

_ Tony spread his arms wide, "It won't be a problem."_

_ "Tony." This time it was Pepper who cut into the conversation. _

_ He swiveled around towards her, "Yes, Miss Potts?"_

_ "Can we discuss this some other time? I really would rather have dinner in peace." And there were people coming towards them, holding elaborate food trays. _

_ "Sure, sure," Tony waved off the conversation. "I'm all about peace." _

_ "Tony," Pepper said without looking at him, but nodded politely at the maytradee. _

_ "Right," Tony looked to Bruce, who was grasping his high backed chair. "Are you going to eat?" _

_ Bruce sat. Stephanie looked to him, but he didn't look up. She twisted her mouth ruefully, and thanked her server for the food. When she looked back to Bruce, his eyes were on her, and at first all she thought she saw was admiration. Admiration for- what? And then she saw deeper- and there was fear there. Fear, that she didn't understand. She peered deeper into those dark eyes, hoping for an answer. _

_ He looked away, the severance to their connection startled her. She had to blink, shake herself, and heard him thank his own server for the food. She smiled at him momentarily, and he smiled back, before tucking into his food. _

_ Tony and Pepper bantered about food for their wedding back and forth, Pepper reminding him that they had to go get a cake picked out tomorrow, or else they weren't going to have one. He asked once about, "Where is soldier boy?"_

_ Bruce looked up at Tony, and then his eyes flickered to Stephanie, as though for a reaction. She told Tony that he had a date tonight, before looking at Bruce in puzzlement, but he had looked down, back at his plate._

_ Bruce was quiet through most of this, and said almost nothing. She caught him looking to her several times in the conversation, but the gaze always flickered away. _

_ Pepper and Tony's conversation was enough entertainment to keep her mostly cheerful, though she was worried about Bruce and his mere nods of agreement. Through the conversation though she understood fully why they were getting married. Pepper thought just as quickly as Tony, to counter anything he had to say, and they both came out of it smiling, even if they were disagreeing. _

_ "I don't get why we can't see the bride in her wedding dress," Tony had finished his food, and was leaning back, one of his ankles on his other leg, gesturing with his free hand, "I mean, I feel like I should have a say. It's my wedding after all." _

_"It's _our _wedding," Pepper corrected, before looking down at her plate and speaking quickly with a shrug, "And you'll probably have ten more after this one so it matters."_

_ That got him out of his relaxed position, sitting up straight, "What?"_

_ "You heard me," her voice was accusing, "After your first one you can break all the rules you want-." _

_ "Pepper Potts," Tony took her hand, looking very seriously, and very serenely at her. "I plan on, marrying only _one _person." He held up one finger, before placing it back over her hand, so both of his wrapped around hers. _

_ The sweet gesture caught her slightly off guard, Stephanie could tell, "Sure that's what you plan but-."_

_ "You don't trust me?" he sounded offended. _

_ Pepper shook her head, pursing her lips in a disbelieving smile, "Not a bit." _

_ Tony nodded his head back and forth, "Yeeah, but you should."_

_ Pepper blinked at him, small smile sliding onto her face, "Oh? Why should I?"_

_ "Because it's been- what, three years now?" he thought aloud before he looked back to Pepper, "And I haven't slept with another woman." _

_ "Oh, oh, three years?" Pepper was rolling her eyes, and withdrew her hand from his two, "That's huge-." _

_ "It is for me." And it probably was, actually. She'd heard of commitment issues with people like him, where beautiful girls were a dime a dozen, "And I wouldn't want to-." _

_ "Tony-. This buttering me up-," she shook her head daintily, "isn't working."_

_ Tony narrowed his eyes, "Oh it isn't, is it?"_

_ "No, it's not," Pepper half smiled, raising her chin and cutting herself another bite of food._

_ He leaned in for the challenge, a crooked grin on his face, "I haven't even started." _

_ It went on like that for nigh on thirty five minutes, and Stephanie couldn't help but laugh, or blush, or frown with every moment that was applicable. Bruce chuckled a few times, but for the most part, was silent until the very end, after Tony and Pepper had left together._

"_That was- excellent chicken," Tony acknowledged. _

_ "Yes- thank you," Stephanie nodded in Pepper's direction. _

_ "So, dessert?" Pepper asked the table's occupants politely._

_ "I think," Tony cocked his head, "We should take dessert in our rooms tonight." _

_ "Tony!" Pepper sounded scandalized, trying to shush him. _

_ "What? Why, do I always get scolded for everything I say?" he demanded. _

_ "We'll see you both tomorrow," Pepper told them, standing gracefully. _

_ "Bright and early," beamed Tony, following her. _

_ "Thank you!" Stephanie called to them as Tony slipped his arm around Pepper, and whispered something in her ear. Pepper giggled down the hallway to the elevator, and Stephanie was left with a smile on her face as she turned back to face Bruce, who was standing. _

_ "Do- you want help to your room?" he asked her. _

_ She smiled, "Sure."_

_ He was quiet though, and she didn't know how to breach the silence, as they waited for the elevator to drop off Tony and Pepper, and on the elevator ride up, and the walk to her room._

_"You know, you don't have to do this," he told her as they reached her door, just before she had been about to tell him goodnight._

_ "Hmm?" she'd been off in some imagination of hers, and focused on what he was saying._

_ "You- don't have to go through with this. You can go, back to your life. I'll get Tony to keep S.H.I.E.L.D. off your scent." She hadn't even thought of this. Not once. To give up without finishing, without helping cure Bruce. She couldn't imagine now just stopping, not when there were obvious possibilities that they hadn't even tried yet. Maybe those would lead to something they hadn't even thought of, and in them would be the answer. But- _

_To give up. It almost made her bristle. _

_ "No- I-," she stuttered, shaking her head, before looking up to meet his eyes, "I want to help."_

_ He held her gaze for a moment, and she could see all the worry, the anxiety, the pointless apprehension in his darkening eyes. He sighed, dropping his head, "I didn't think- that he would ask you to do this."_

_ "It doesn't seem that bad." When he looked up at her tone with a skeptical expression, she continued, sounding more flippant than she meant to, "I mean, I have faced the Hulk twice before now. I think I can manage it."_

_ "You- don't know," he told her, his eyes darker than she'd ever seen them as he stared off into the distance._

_ "Don't know what?" she inquired, peering closer so he looked full into her face._

_ "How much he hates you." _

How much he hates you.

_It resounded in her thoughts as he parted for bed, reminding her that he would come if she needed him, as she got into bed, and told Jarvis goodnight, and as she slept, she dreamed of angry green faces, and that burning sensation that consumed her leg over and over again, until she woke in a cold sweat._

_ "Are you alright, Miss Steph?" Jarvis asked, his voice full of concern, "Do I need to call Dr. Banner?"_

_ "No," she panted, catching her breath, "No, I'm. I'm fine." _

She hadn't been fine though. She had slept dreamlessly after she finally got back to sleep, but it was uneasy. She had had to hide her fear in the morning when Tony had come to wake her up at seven, commenting derogatorily about people that slept in, and Bruce had been there to make sure she got enough to eat, to check on her leg, to help her put on protective clothing. He argued with Tony every step of the way, but he knew as well as she did, that this was a sound idea for an experiment, that if he gave up now because the possibility that she might be hurt, that it meant possibly quitting altogether. He couldn't give up hope just yet.

"This'll be good practice for her anyways," Tony was gesturing towards her, calling her back to the present. She shook herself to keep in focus, and it caught Bruce's attention. He looked at her with concern, but she smiled fully at him, hoping that he wouldn't see how afraid his words had made her.

_How much he hates you._

Obliviously Tony continued, "If we can't figure out how to cure you, then she's going to have to stick around, keep you under control until you figure out how to do it yourself," he turned his head towards Stephanie, "won't she?"

Obviously Bruce had not made this connection before by the look on his face. She smiled at him, as he realized he would have to be stuck with her for the rest of his life if this didn't work out. That is, if he wanted to keep the Hulk contained.

Maybe this would persuade him. To be stuck with a scraggily blonde college grad for the rest of his life because she could keep the other guy at bay might not be his ideal lifestyle.

"See? So it'll be good for both of you." Tony grinned at his own innuendo.

Stephanie rolled her eyes, hoping she wasn't blushing too deeply.

Bruce shook his head, backing away from Tony, "Tony, I'm not- I'm not doing this," he told him, gesturing around, "This isn't something that-."

Tony was obviously getting exasperated, "I don't care if you're willing or not-."

"Bruce," Stephanie stepped towards him, and realized almost too late that her hand was extending to touch his cheek, so she placed it fervently on his shoulder. She made herself sound dismissive, "Let's just get this over with. If it works it works, if it doesn't it doesn't. At least we can say we tried, and not have to wonder later on if it was stupid to pass up this- now."

His eyes were truly haunting, full of regret for something that had not even happened yet. Something that wasn't going to happen she told herself.

"See?" Tony put a hand on Stephanie's shoulder, shaking her slightly where she stood, "Listen to sense."

Bruce glowered at him, "You're-."

"Brilliant, handsome, charismatic?" Tony proffered with a smile.

"An asshole."

"Ah, yes. That too," Tony's smile turned false, "Alright," he clapped his metal hands together, "Shall we?"

She stepped two feet back, removing her hand from Bruce's shoulder, and smiled as encouragingly as she could at Bruce, before Tony was upon her, checking and rechecking pads that had been stuck to her body in various areas. He caught her arm, pressing something to it, but she was just looking to Bruce-

She yelped in pain, gasping as he pulled the object away- it looked like a handheld gun and an electric drill mashed together. She looked down at her throbbing arm, and felt a lump under her skin. "What did you do to me?"

"It's a piece of fancy equipment that's far too expensive and far too advanced for you to be bothering about, Angel Face." He patted her cheek like a child, as she looked over to Bruce for an explanation, but he was too far out of it to comprehend her horror at something being stuck in her body without her permission. Tony put his helmet over his head. "Bruce, whenever you're ready."

Bruce shook his head, but said nothing. He pulled off his shirt. Stephanie had to force herself to look away as she went deep red.

Then he was expanding, and all she could see was green muscle in front of her face.

She knew what she had to do. She stepped forward, stretching out her hand when-

With a roar, she was back-handed across the room, and slammed into the wall of the garage. Crumpling to the ground, head swirling as her body thrummed with agony, she tried to make sense of the scene.

Something was running towards her, the ground thundering, the roar coming again-

She made to scream as green filled her vision, the noise catching in her throat even as he barreled towards her, but the Hulk was blasted backwards as red stood gleaming gold before her.

"Oh brilliant," she heard Tony mutter as he took a stance. "Angel Face?"

"Yes?" her voice was hoarse.

"Ever been to a rodeo?" he called over his shoulder.

She had lived in Texas for five years when her dad had been stationed there. "Um- yes."

"Here's your chance to ride a bull."

Except this bull was huge, and green and was out to get her, bellowing as he came after them again. Tony picked her up like a rag doll, flew skywards, but the Hulk caught one of his legs. He let her go as the Hulk slammed him downwards into the cement, and Stephanie was left to tumble through the air-

She caught one of his giant green arms, and hung on tight, wrapping both her arms and her good leg around his limb that was as big as a tree trunk. Stephanie heard him roar, heard him yell, but her eyes were squeezed shut-

And then his arm was shrinking, and she was slipping. Gravity gripped her and she landed on her backside as she fell off of him. Her eyes opened to watch the end of the transformation- and there Bruce was, panting, staring at his hands in plain horror.

Stephanie was still catching her breath too, staring up at him.

_How much he hates you_.

The Hulk hated her.

"Alright!" Tony had gone over to a computer screen, and shed his helmet, though he had to limp there since the armor on his leg had been smashed too tight for walking, "We got some good data!" He turned to them, cheerful, "Let's go round two."

Bruce was horrified, and then furious at the very mention, shaking, and Stephanie, while she didn't protest, was terrified herself as she froze in place. Round two?

But it happened. Again. And again.

They changed out stickers, and Bruce checked on her bruises every now and then.

They got better at keeping Stephanie out of harm's reach, and the first time was the worst of it. He never touched her, besides trying to get her off of him- until the last time.

After five more rounds Stephanie had about had it. Her nose was bleeding for the fourth time, and she felt ready to pass out. Her head was spinning, and she had to put her head between her knees to keep from unconsciousness. Bruce was coaxing her, telling her to breath.

"Alright, this is the last test for today," Tony announced.

"Today?" Stephanie and Bruce said together, before looking at each other with small, weary smiles.

Tony wasn't fazed, "If we don't have the right data, sure."

"You mean this thing has to stay in my arm?" It was already sore from her rubbing it subconsciously too much, but the odd thing in her body made her sick to her stomach.

"Yes it does," Tony told her as he walked towards them, putting his helmet back on.

Bruce helped Stephanie to her feet. She stood dizzily, and he had to steady her. "You ok?"

"You?" she countered without answering.

He smiled at her, a bit of light in his eyes. "Not, entirely."

She grinned tiredly, "Me either."

But there was hope there, in those dark eyes, and it made it better. Entirely better.

"We'll take naps afterwards," Tony told them sarcastically through the suit, "Places."

Tony and Stephanie had perfected placing her on the Hulk's back, so she was able to wrap around the Hulk's neck and hold on until she and Bruce were toppling over onto the ground.

Tony stood behind Stephanie, ready to launch, and Bruce looked at her, apologizing for everything, everything that was happening. She shook her head at him, and smiled softly.

She was getting the hang of this, she thought as she inhaled deeply. She was getting over her fear.

"Alright, you're on, big guy."

And Stephanie watched as Bruce expanded, and then, there was the Hulk glaring at her for that split second before he launched himself at them that caused fear to catch her in the gut once more, and then Iron Man lifted them off the floor seemlessly-

But the Hulk caught them midflight, grabbing to Tony- and slammed them into a pillar, which collapsed almost over them before Tony could fling her out of the way- and he was smashed underneath the rubble.

Before she could breathe the Hulk caught Stephanie around the middle, and smashed her into a wall, pinning her there with his hand. She cried out, struggling to escape, kneeing his palm with all her might.

"Tiny human," he rumbled in her face, his breathe hot and thick, but she paused, trying to peer into the dark, cloaked eyes.

She couldn't believe, "You can talk?" she blinked in amazement.

But he growled, pushing her harder, and she couldn't breathe.

Her brain wouldn't function, couldn't do anything but panic as just the tip of the green finger pushed harder and harder into her stomach, his ragged finger nail digging into her ribs as though he wanted to crush her heart- her mind was going blank, blackening-

Instinctively, she held desperately to one of his knuckles with both hands, until she was falling. She tumbled to the ground in a heap, blonde hair covering her sight as she gasped, choking on sweet, sweet air, inhaling too all quickly.

Bruce was there, sliding to a stop next to her, pulling her up by her shoulders, and pushing the hair out of her face, cradling her.

He was asking too many questions all at once, "Stephanie? Stephanie? Are you ok? What happened?"

"Tony-!" she wheezed, pointing weakly. Her arm shook too much, and without her telling it to, it fell to her side, unable to sustain elevation. Weak. So, so weak. All the blood rushing to her head.

Tony was pushing his way out from under the rubble of the collapse pillar. "I'm fine!" he told them, waving them off, and obviously irritated.

"What happened?" he insisted, as though he were trying to diagnose her symptoms.

"Messed up," she told him mid gasp, and then her nose bleed came, thick and fast. He leaned her forward when she couldn't do it herself, and brought out an already slightly bloody handkerchief. "I – think I'm gohing toh pass ohut nohw," she told him, pressing the cloth to her nose.

"No, no, lean forward," he told her, calming, gathering her hair and twisting it to one side as he continued to cradle her, shifting one of his legs to be her backrest. And, he was doing all this very shirtlessly. "Breathe in," he instructed soothingly, and she did as he bid, "Breathe out." She exhaled, and smiled at him weakly from behind the kerchief. His dark eyes were kind, gentle. For those eyes she could stay conscious, could breathe when he asked. For those eyes she would follow him to the moon.

He continued to instruct her breathing, until he asked, "Are you ok now?"

She nodded, and the motion made her dizzy. But she could breathe on her own, and her head wasn't thrumming so violently. She could think, she could remember.

"I didn' knohw he cohld talk," she said through her nosebleed.

That made him pause for a moment, until he could catch up with her train of thought, his eyes flickering towards her, "The- other guy?"

"Yeeah. He cahn talk," She didn't nod, stopping herself short before the motion could strengthen her head ache.

He smiled slightly, ruefully, not looking at her, "Sometimes he does. Not often. He's a – creature- of few words."

"But he cahn talk. He'z noht, just angry," she pointed out, because it was something she hadn't realized herself. He was- cogent.

"No, he's not, _just angry_," Bruce agreed with her, and she froze as she felt him smooth her hair back behind an ear as he smiled slightly, avoiding her gaze. But his touch, had it been affectionate? What was going on? Was she dreaming?

"He's like a two year old who never gets what he wants," Tony interrupted, striding up to them, his suit dented and dusty. He looked miffed as he blinked the dirt off of his eyelashes, "A very _big_ two year old."

"Lohk whoh's talkingg," Stephanie murmured under her breathe.

"No more tests today," Bruce said, and it wasn't a question.

"No more tests today," Tony agreed easily, "We have enough data to be efficient."

"Oh goohd. Cahn I pazs ohut nohw?" Stephanie blinked tiredly, whole heartedly ready to falling into the darkness that was trying to consume her mind.

"No," Bruce shook his head with a small smile at her jest, jostling her ever so slightly. "No you can't."

She twisted her mouth at him in protest, but he just shook his head.

"I'm going to go take a shower. You two can manage?" Tony gestured down to the two of them, and he didn't wait for the answer. He began to clamp away, his boots clambering on the floor, one uneven, bent. He turned back momentarily, catching their attention again, pointing at them, "Also, when Pepper asks who broke that pillar, I'm telling her it was your fault."

"It was my fault," Bruce bent his head, his eyes darkening.

"You and your guilty conscious," Tony scoffed, waving Bruce off as he left, clanging across the floor in his suit. He crushed a bit of stray cement under his foot almost vindictively, before he left them.

Bruce's voice was dark, "Him and his lack of one."

Stephanie tried to ease his anger, "He haz ohne. Itz juzt noht eazy toh szee." Not easy enough for anyone to see- but what Pepper and Tony had shown the night before at dinner had convinced her, that maybe there was more to Tony Stark than met the eye.

"I know," but he was obviously not ready to be forgiving. "Do you want to stay here?" he asked her.

She was entirely reluctant to move from that very spot at that moment, "Juzt fohr a mohment."

That seemed to pacify him somewhat, for some reason. She could almost feel the tension in his chest unknot. "Ok," and his voice was gentle again.

She was suddenly conscious that the hand that had been behind her shoulders was brushing her hair around one shoulder, and rubbing her neck, relaxing her muscles, coaxing her into settling down.

She sighed, leaning into him, into his shoulder, in the crook of his neck. He shifted a little, his hold on her less firm, but it stayed. Stayed, and she felt his cheek move as he smiled, and inhaled.

Comfortable- a person, warmth. He was so, comfortable to be around, so careful with her. As though she would run from him. As though she wouldn't accept him. She realized now that he'd been worried, worried about her fleeing, or getting hurt.

But didn't this feel right? Didn't this-

Whoa.

Whoa, she realized all too suddenly what was happening, what she was doing, what she was thinking!

In real life she would have never leaned on him.

In real life, she would be quivering at the mere thought.

In real life, she would pull away, right now.

Right.

Now.

So this meant she had to be dreaming because she wasn't pulling away. But how could a dream capture the feeling of scruff on his neck against her face? The beating of his steady pulse against her cheek? Not a dream- so she must be very, very tired to let herself do this, to be this succumbing. Because she was very, very tempted, to lean up slightly, and kiss his jaw line.

She mentally jolted herself away from that mental image. Away from that train of thought. Abandon that ship- swim to another one.

"Soh when are yohu gohing toh tell me wha' happend las' szummer?" she smiled, trying to tease her way back out of the depths she'd been sinking into.

"You mean, when the Avengers-?" he asked, quizzical, and it was clear his thoughts had been far away, off on some other shore too.

She nodded, a stupid mistake, because it knocked her head into his jaw, and only made her head ache worse.

He let out a small ouch, to which she immediately replied, "Sohrry!" stiffening. No, she'd gone and ruined this moment, this perfect, wonderful, out of character moment when they were both so vulnerable and so tired and so in need of companionship in this world, and she'd ruined it by hitting her head against his jaw like an idiot.

He shook his head in answer, which in turn, knocked into her head, and made them break out into laughter. He soothed her head where he'd hit it, taming what must've been her wild mass of hair down.

"Well," he chuckled, and she could hear that brightness in his eye as she felt his words rumble in his chest, "Where to start?"

"Aht the beginning ohf cohurse!"

She awoke, feeling entirely rested, peaceful. The room was dim, dark, and now familiar after having woken up here several times now. There was a spot of warmth beside her, to which she looked to. Next to her, slumped onto her bed, was Bruce, fast asleep. She sat up slightly on her pile of pillows, and smiled. Smiled so softly and yet so brightly, because she was happy, so happy to see him there.

She was completely and utterly fond of him. More than fond. She lo- liked Bruce Banner. A lot. And a lot seemed so callous a word for it. Liked him so much, in such a ridiculous quantity for it just being a few days. Had it really only been a few days, less than a week? And still, she liked him nonetheless for the lack of time. From spilled coffee cup, to the incredible Hulk, to the glasses, to those bright black eyes behind his glasses. His glasses that were askew on his head.

She pulled them off nimbly and without agitating him, and, tried them on.

He wasn't as blind as she had thought. She looked at her hands, and couldn't make out the lines, until her eyes fought to adjust to the lenses. She shook her head, pulling them off, and folded them neatly. She placed them, after a moment's deliberation, on the bedside table, before turning back to look at him, and felt the now familiar knots tighten in her stomach at the very glance at him.

She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe him. That he was real, that any of this was real. She ran a hand through his hair reflexively, without thinking at all, and knew he was real, the feel of it on her fingertips too lifelike to be imagined.

He hummed slightly under his breath, and she withdrew her hand in a flash, but the way he shifted let her know he was smiling in his sleep. She bit her lip to hide her laughter. She shouldn't have done it in the first place, but he wasn't entirely miffed, at least unconsciously so.

She cocked her head, looking at him, drawing her legs up and folding them under her and wrapped her arms around them. She realized that he must have carried her up here, because she had no memory of traveling back to her room. She remembered falling asleep in that circle that was his arms, listening to the tale of the Avengers' first assembly, at first demanding every detail as her nosebleed ebbed, asking the back story of Thor, and of his thoughts on this woman named Natasha, who she didn't really like the sound of (a gorgeous woman recruiting him for a team he didn't want to join made her a little- envious, for some absolutely ridiculous reason), and how the villain, Loki, had been manipulating him, to make him turn into the Hulk.

She had lost consciousness just as the story was ending; remembering herself how the portal's closing had been caught on national television. She could only nod tiredly in accordance as she created mental pictures for herself, and then, must have nodded off entirely.

Stephanie felt guilty that he had taken her up here, to her bed, and tucked her in, so carefully that he hadn't woken her, pulling off her shoes and socks, she realized as she wiggled her toes.

And then she felt-

Her bullet wound-

Or more accurately, didn't feel it.

Immediately she pulled off the bed covering, arousing a sleepy Bruce without meaning to, and pulled up her pant leg.

She pulled off the bandage to reveal –

Nothing.

There was nothing there but fresh skin, a little pinker, but- no wound.

No wound.

Baffled she stared at it, and Bruce let out a small sound of joy.

"It's- gone!" she declared in delight.

Bruce was taking his glasses off her bedside table. "How?" he wondered aloud as he squinted at it, "Jarvis- light."

"Please," she smiled as the lights came on.

"Please," Bruce affirmed with a small smile in her direction before the light revealed the same thing.

She hadn't meant to correct him, she realized too late, but he was too immersed in examination to be bothered with her apology.

"What did you do?" he asked her as he peered closer, his eyes narrowing calculatingly.

"I don't know- I'm not the doctor here," she told him as he touched the new, scarless skin.

"Ah! You've discovered it already," Tony strode into the room, holding papers, and bubbling with excitement, "That or you're playing that one weird game in middle school? You know, the one you drag your finger up the girl's leg until she giggles for you to stop?" He frowned at their puzzled faces, "No? Neither of you played that game? Because Angel Face you look like you're a pro."

Bruce removed his hand, sitting upright and scowling at Tony, who smiled brightly.

Tony went on with his presentation, "I'm going to assume you're not playing that game," he told them, and Stephanie glared at him, but he turned his attention resolutely to Bruce, "She heals when she touches you- that's why she never was terribly hurt after our little- encounters."

"But I didn't heal after the first times I touched him," Stephanie reminded him, pulling down her pant leg determined not to be a pro. "I still had that bullet wound.

"And I expect it would have been a lot worse if you hadn't stopped the Hulk that first time. There was a lot of blood, more than that could account for that little graze when we got you back here," Tony countered without batting an eyelash, "You didn't even need stitches."

"And the second time?" Bruce asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"She had that head injury after falling down. I suspect she had a minor concussion, and I think that's where most of the healing went. She was a little disoriented, but then again, I guess that's probably not abnormal for you, blondie?" Tony was just venomous right now. What had she done? It hadn't been her idea for the stupid testing. It had been his, and it had been his fault the pillar had collapsed.

"I think I preferred angel face," she mumbled, looking away.

"As I was saying, _Angel Face_-," he retorted, "The chemical in her blood activates, balancing you two out. So whenever she touches the Hulk, you- normalize each other."

That he was as healing for her as she was for him, because it had to be true. She had no graze of a bullet wound anymore, and she should have been black and blue from when the Hulk had bashed her against the wall, and she wasn't.

She beamed. This partnership was down to the basis level of science, chemicals acting in their blood to heal one another, and for some reason it was right, and she hadn't been foolish earlier, to curl up in his arms, and feel enough peace, enough comfort to sleep there. To touch his hair, to like his voice, and the way he spoke, to love those eyes, those bright black eyes that she often wondered at thoughts that were going on behind them.

She could trust this- she could trust him.

Bruce took the papers Tony handed him, examining them through his glasses, and though his brow was furrowed in concentration, he was beginning to smile. "So, I can't really hurt her."

"Uh, well, I'm not so sure about that," Tony shrugged, "More tests and the like, but, it's progress," Tony declared, clapping Bruce on the back before he began to walk away. "Now make yourselves presentable. We have a guest over and Pepper put on dinner again." He was leaving them to their own devices, having to clean up himself.

"Who?" Stephanie asked. And then realized she probably wouldn't know who it was even if he did give a name.

"Agent Natasha Romanoff," he said over his shoulder.

Oh.

She knew who that was.

She twisted her mouth, and looked away, out of the dark window.

Bruce had totally missed Tony's last statement, reexamining data with joy in his face, "We'd have to test this theory out, to see if it were true- if I could heal your bones on longer contact with the Hulk, or maybe it has to be repetitive-," he paused when he realized that both Stephanie and Tony were looking at him incredulously, "Not that I want to break bones,-" he backtracked.

"Curious," she nodded, smiling at him, "No I completely understand."

"Well," he looked away, his emotion- was that bashful? "That's- that's-."

"Wonderful," she finished again, liking this game.

"Exactly," he grinned up at her, and their eyes met. _For those eyes she would follow him to the moon… _"I'll- meet you for dinner then," his voice was croaky, and even as he stood he seemed reluctant.

"Dinner." Why oh why did she have to sound breathless? This wasn't a ridiculous movie from the 30s!

He nodded again, smiling, backing up, as though he didn't want to break their connecting gaze. But he had to. Had to leave.

And darn it she was going to see him in like two point five seconds!

She liked him way too much. And yet, she grinned to herself, he seemed to like her too.

He had stayed after all, stayed and held her close and told her about his adventures as an Avenger, had taken care of her nose bleeds and her bullet wounds and her bruises, and had been so worried that she wouldn't like him after she had known he was the Hulk. He seemed happy to see her, and reluctant to go. He slept sitting next to her to make sure she was ok. These had to be signs for her, didn't they? These were signs to let herself know it was ok to like him, to like him immensely, even. It was safe to love him even, wasn't it?

Love?

After less than a week?

Improbable. And yet-

She dressed in something much fancier that night. It wasn't ostentatious though, like some of the evening gowns that were in there. When was she going to wear an evening gown? But it was a skirt, tan, with a thinly lined pretty pattern, and a white lacy blouse, and she felt cute in it, out of everything else she had tried on. She slipped on a pair of flats and went to the bathroom to try to make her hair do something, but it was having a fit. Normally her hair was nice to her too, but today it was on a vendetta, just to stay loosely around her face.

As she was pulling her hair this way and that, and giving up, frustrated, deciding to put it in a half pony tail, she saw someone poke their head through the door.

"Steph?" Steve smiled at her ridiculousness probably.

"Hey, soldier," Stephanie turned to see the man in khaki pants, and a white button up shirt.

"Not anymore," he reminded her.

"Hey, we match," she beamed at him, looking down at her skirt and holding it out for him to see.

"In fact we do," he said, offering her an arm like a gentleman. She took it, smiling, and they headed towards the elevator.

"How was the date last night?" she prompted, pushing the down button on the elevator.

"I," he shook his head, and tucked his hands in his pockets.

What did that mean? She frowned, "She wasn't as great as you thought?"

"No- no, she was,-," he stuttered to find words, "great. Outstanding." He ended lamely, "I," but he couldn't seem to find the words, "I don't know. I found the right dame- woman- once, I don't think it can happen…" he looked to the floor, "Twice."

Stephanie frowned, taking her arm out of his as she thought. She had never considered that before, that he would find it hard to replace the girl that had died years ago of old age, that he would think of it as replacing her in the first place. Patting his shoulder, she smiled, "You said dame. That's pretty,-."

"Outdated?" he nodded, eyebrows knit.

"Awesome." Steve looked up to smile at her, and she continued, as best she could, "And, I think there is someone for everyone. Because the first one didn't - work out, you can't expect to not have a second chance."

He shook his head at the floor again, "I don't know, Steph."

"Just give it a try," she encouraged.

"But Peggy-," he stopped, "She was, outstanding. Too. I just-" he pursed his lips, just as the elevator door opened in front of them, and opened, "Maybe another time," he said as the elevator revealed Bruce.

"Maybe another time for what?" Bruce asked suspiciously, and Stephanie withdrew the hand she had been using to pat Steve's shoulder.

"Nothing," Stephanie ended quickly as they got into the elevator. She was so bubbly to see him though, so excited, and yet she feared if she opened her mouth, all of everything would come spilling out in silly stutters and nonsense. So she kept her mouth firmly closed, feeling like a high schooler with some ridiculous crush as the knots in her stomach tightened pleasantly around and around.

"So," Bruce said as the elevator ride ended, breaking the awkward silence that had spanned the entire trip downwards, "I hear you- went on a date last night? How did that go?" he asked Steve.

"Great," Steve said sarcastically, mournfully, as they got off the elevator to the dining floor.

Stephanie laughed a little at that. "No, um, you-." And here came the awkward- she'd opened her mouth. She shut it firmly again and heard voices from the dining room.

Pepper's voice echoed into the hallway, "No we're not inviting her-."

"It's _my_ wedding-."

"It's my wedding too, and you're not going to ruin them, they're too cute."

"C'mon, Pepper," Tony interrupted, speaking quickly, "But he thinks he's head over heels for a twenty four year old just because she's his cure, when he's been in love with Betty for years now-."

Bruce paused, and Stephanie did too, realizing she was the twenty four year old cure- and then she looked at him.

And he looked at her.

Betty?

Pepper snapped at Tony, "You don't get to ruin this-. Bruce has been happier than I've ever seen him."

"Uh, yeah, and when he realizes now that with her mutation he can marry Betty, he'll be all the happier. Trust me on this."

"Tony, you can't-."

"Just put Betty Ross on the list. Here I'll spell it for you- B E T T-."

"No I'm not-," Pepper argued, but stopped midsentence, "Oh wow, hi." Steve had come into the room, hands in his pockets.

"Hi," Steve's eyebrows were raised.

He had obviously not heard the conversation. He looked back in the hallway, wondering why Bruce and Stephanie were still there.

But Stephanie's heart was panging painfully in her chest, plummeting. The knots in her stomach were tight and now so unpleasant she felt nauseous. She couldn't meet those eyes, those eyes that she trusted, and lov-. No. And she wished she had been as oblivious as Steve had. Wished she hadn't heard those words. That he was in love with someone else.

Oh what a fool she must have seemed to him. What a stupid fool.

If he was in love with another woman, had been for years…

She realized he was looking to her, had opened his mouth.

"Let's go in," she smiled at him, cutting him off, and the smile felt so wrong on her face.

Irrational anger wouldn't solve anything, anything. She had to be calm. But she felt like sticking a fork in that shiny circle on Tony's chest that kept him alive. More rationally she felt like declaring that she had lost her appetite, but that would be rude to Pepper, and she could leave midway through it all. She would go upstairs and talk to Jarvis and calm down for real, instead of this plastic person she was placing in front of her real emotion as a mask, a barrier.

But he had held her close just earlier. He had carried her, had cared for her.

She had been so sure that this wasn't one sided. So secure in that thought.

"Steph- Stephanie," Bruce was catching up, but they were in the dining room now, and she was composed. She was composed.

"Oh wow," Tony stepped back from them, wide eyed. "This is, sufficiently awkward." He looked to Pepper, gesturing at her, "Fix it."

Pepper was fuming, holding an iPad or something similar to it, "Fix it? I didn't do anything-!"

But before she could finish Stephanie cut them off with a smile, "What're you talking about?"

"Yeah, what are you talking about?"

It was the red headed woman that had accompanied Eye Patch- Nick Fury, from earlier, when she'd had that concussion. This was Natasha Romanoff? She _was_ beautiful.

Great. Another person to be jealous about.

Dinner was- _sufficiently awkward_.

Natasha Romanoff had come seeking news on what was going on with the Haven Project, as Stephanie had been labeled, and had then been asked to stay for dinner, since Pepper would use any excuse to use her dining table, as she had told Stephanie.

Natasha was not chatty. She sat next to Bruce, who sat across from Stephanie, who sat next to Steve, while Tony and Pepper sat at opposite ends of the table.

Tony reported their progress, making what had happened sound a lot more elaborate than it had been, and continuing on with his fun in his lab/work area, and praised himself for the discovery that Bruce and Stephanie "normalized" themselves into balancing.

When Natasha replied to this by saying, "It was like you two were built for each other," Stephanie decided to go ahead and like Natasha after all.

But Stephanie never met anyone's eyes. Not really. She could look at foreheads, look at noses, ears, mouth, but not eyes. Because she was sure they would see her for what she really was when they saw her eyes, and that was right now crumbling like a dry sand castle.

So Bruce was in love with Betty. Betty Ross. What was Betty short for anyways? Bethany? Beth? Elizabeth? If it was a Bethany she felt more secure, but if it was an Elizabeth she was doomed. Weren't all Elizabeths wonderful, and funny and classy? Like Elizabeth Bennett, from Pride and Prejudice?

How had they met? They probably were more alike in age difference. She was probably a lot smarter than Stephanie could ever be. And prettier. And kinder, because surely Betty wouldn't be this jealous, wouldn't be awful by thinking mean things her way.

She really had no appetite. The butterflies in her stomach were dying, burning up in acid, and making her insides churn. She pushed food around her plate, tried a few bites.

"Natasha," Pepper interrupted smoothly. Natasha looked towards her calmly, "I know, this is kind of a big imposition, and it's, sudden, but," Pepper put down her knife and fork and folded her hands in her lap. "Would you be, my Maid of Honor?"

"What?" Tony sat forward.

Natasha looked taken aback, "You want me-?"

"You want her-?" Tony pointed at Natasha.

"I do," Pepper nodded, looking hopeful, leaning towards her, "You wouldn't have to do anything really. I will do everything. It's, just that-."

"Yes," Natasha said easily.

"Yes?" Pepper and Tony spoke in unison, Pepper hopeful and Tony startled.

"I will be your Maid of Honor, though," and though she didn't have a smile, she seemed pleased, "I have to say I'm inexperienced in this area-."

"That doesn't matter!" Pepper beamed brightly, "Thank you, thank you so much!"

Stephanie smiled. Amid all of this she had almost forgotten that Pepper and Tony were getting married. And Pepper deserved it. Deserved all of it.

And Natasha would look pretty in almost any color Pepper picked out.

She wondered who Tony's best man would be? Bruce?

Bruce.

She felt him looking at her more than once.

And finally, she couldn't handle it anymore. After dinner had been cleared away, and dessert was coming, she couldn't handle the idle prattle any longer.

She spoke up, "I'm feeling really tired," she smiled up at Pepper's forehead, because she couldn't meet those kind eyes right then. "I think I'm going to head to bed."

Bruce was still looking at her, "Do, you want someone-."

"No," Stephanie cut him off immediately, "I just need sleep. Thank you for dinner, Pepper, it was wonderful." She stood up mechanically, "It was nice to meet you again Miss Romanoff," she half bowed to Natasha.

"You too," Natasha Romanoff said wearily, as though she were going to vomit at her.

That was actually quite possible. Butterflies dying and disintegrating into your stomach had to be lethal, didn't it? It certainly felt lethal.

She made it to the elevator with perfect steps, though her pace kept quickening and quickening until she almost ran into the elevator doors.

She had to shake herself as the elevator opened to let her in. She took deep breathes, settling herself.

She was acting like a five year old. It was ok, she was ok. She would be ok.

At least until she got to her room.

**A/N: What did you guys think? **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Pulled some weirdness in this chapter- a character that's not quite an Avenger, but I think you'll enjoy him. He's a doll to write ;) **

**Also, queue fiery Stephanie! **

**I love all of your reviews! Thank you so much! :D **

Chapter 6

"Stephanie, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help."

She had to shake herself into reality. She had been off, avoiding thoughts, waiting for hours to pass, and here Pepper was thanking her for something that wasn't something she should be getting thanked for. Because all she really was doing was breathing air.

"Oh, it's really not a problem Pepper."

And it really wasn't a problem, because Stephanie wasn't doing anything.

At all.

She was standing there, and giving comments whenever she asked for them. Being someone from a state that had more marriages early than most, she had helped plan plenty of her friends' weddings with them. And she could tell when the planner was just excited about design then actually thinking about Pepper. It didn't happen often, but when the designer had wanted dark colors, Stephanie had suggested an elegant cream that would set Pepper apart perfectly, classy and kind as she was. And when they had wanted two huge sculptures and an ice decoration, and Pepper had looked not happy with the thought but too polite to say so, Stephanie had shaken her head to let the designer know to lay off.

Apart from that, Stephanie was moral support, smiling, agreeing, disagreeing whenever Pepper needed her to, reading emotions on her face. It seemed like Pepper didn't have many real people in her life. And speaking of real people, where was her Maid of Honor? Shouldn't she be doing this? But, honestly, she didn't mind. Natasha probably had S.H.I.E.L.D. agent stuff to deal with.

"Miss Potts?" the designer was calling her over. Pepper touched her shoulder kindly, and moved away to the designer.

"This is beautiful," Pepper was saying, and Stephanie felt like Pepper had it under control enough that Stephanie could zone out again, "Yeah I really like this."

Stephanie turned away, wrapping her arms around her.

She felt so cold that day, so empty. But it hadn't been as bad as yesterday. Yesterday she had not wanted to wake up. And she knew that was a silly emotion. So she had gotten up, gotten dressed, had refused when Tony asked her to come down to the lab through Jarvis, had taken that belated, but enjoyable tour of Stark Tower with Steve, and hadn't gotten to dinner because Pepper had had a press conference to go to.

So she hadn't seen Br- _him_ at all yesterday.

She had taken a run in the gym Steve had shown her, and missed the Rocky mountain air as she was forced to run on a treadmill. She missed her family, who she should be with, right at this very moment. Her mother who would comfort her, and her brothers who would run around the German countryside with her, would mess around while she took them to the markets in their little village her father had been stationed in. She should be there for her brother's graduation. She should have been allowed to speak with her parents, but Jarvis had forbade it several times now and it only made her break into tears while running, because she should be running up to her favorite castle ruins right this moment instead of being stuck here in this miserable place.

Here in this miserable place she had become a mutant. She had become a tool, and a genetic experimentation. That had been the only reason he had been fond of her, after all. It was the only explanation. She was the cure, his cure, and that was it. That explained why he'd been so careful to keep her safe, so cautious about her health. She was his one chance at salvation, so he could move freely without having to become a monster. As soon as she wasn't tied to that chore he would go back to Betty.

For surely he had left her side to keep her safe from him. It sounded like something noble he would do. And now that they would have a chance to go back to her, to keep from hurting her, why on Earth would he not go back to her? They had been in love for years right?

She was herself a hopeless romantic. She loved when a couple was finally able to get together after years of separation. Her mother and father were often separated when her father had to go to war, and when they reunited again it was beautiful and romantic and wonderful. And if Bruce and Betty had these things how could she ever begrudge them that?

How could she ever begrudge Bruce that?

But it had been so – blissful to feel that in lo- that, secure. Couldn't it have lasted until she had had to leave, when she would never see them again, never seen him again? She could have carried a torch and she would have been so happy to be ignorant of Betty.

And how, how had Tony's few words ruined everything so completely? So very completely. She was a stupid twenty four year old who hadn't even gotten her master's degree yet. She was surrounded by genius and by strength and by heroes and she had thought she could play along, become one of them.

It wasn't true.

So when Steve had come in, she had been hitting a punching bag with puffy red eyes. And hitting it pretty lamely too. Her knuckles hurt and her wrist ached from jamming it and she could never make enough of an impact to move it.

Steve had been kind. He'd consoled her, and when she demanded it, he taught her how to throw a good punch.

When he asked who it was she was punching, since the punching bag somehow had to represent someone, she told him no one, and the minute he insisted that it wasn't true, she stopped punching and had gone to go back to running. She never really wanted to punch anyone. She had just been letting her frustrations out. Was that allowed? Or now that she was a part of a super hero team did she have to fight bad guys too? Well, sort of part of a super hero team, kind of like a water boy was a part of a football team. The water boy never had to be on the field though. He was on the sidelines. And this waterboy wasn't going to be part of the team forever. She would go back to chess club, or whatever the equivalent of real life was comparatively.

When Steve let it drop after Stephanie had walked away, not willing to put a face to the bag, for fear of what that face might turn out to be, she had gone back and practiced throwing punches at the bag with him again, trying to remember to use all of her body, instead of only her arms, which were weak, though he was too nice to say so that bluntly.

_"Same time tomorrow?" he asked at midnight, when they had finally given up to exhaustion. Or, more accurately, she had given up to exhaustion. He was still probably pumped and ready to go. _

_ "Sure, if you'll teach me how to kick too," she grinned._

_ "How is your balance?" he questioned, and then he pushed her._

_ She stumbled, and then looked back, realizing she had failed a test of some sort as he shook his head with a smile. "Pretty pathetic," she said sarcastically, hands on hips._

_ "Can't be as pathetic as your left hook," he teased, and she grimaced at him. "We'll see tomorrow." _

She had slept easily after she had showered, and today she was much sorer than she had ever remembered ever being, ever. Her arms didn't feel like lifting at all. And the soreness kept so many thoughts at bay that she just wasn't ready to think about or deal with. And if excursion kept thoughts away, she would have to exercise all the more.

Because standing here with Pepper was not helping anything.

She was too keen on letting her thoughts slip to the lab downstairs, to thinking about how things were progressing with serums and such, or if they were making any progression at all. Would they call in Dr. McCoy soon? If he was the expert she hoped he was coming. She didn't want to have to spend her time stuck hiding from Br- from him.

She didn't think she could do it for very long. His presence was so kind, so inviting, warm and-

But he was taken. He and Betty would probably be together now that he had an infallible cure. Married, even.

And she wouldn't begrudge him that.

She was being silly. _Silly_. She would get over him, over this. It would happen. She just needed time. Time healed all wounds, as the saying went.

She found herself rubbing that same spot on her arm where two days before Tony had injected her with whatever it was. She had determined it was a small capsule by its shape, and it itched often. Sometime though, it got hot in her skin. She would panic, afraid it would burn a hole right through her arm, but then it would cool immediately. Still though, she had to catch her breath, and wonder if she could catch Tony sometime when he was not with Bruce or Pepper and demand that he take it out.

"Miss Potts, the wedding photographers are here," Jarvis said from overhead, calling Stephanie to attention. She had to shake herself away from deeper thoughts.

"Send them up Jarvis," Pepper nodded, half brushing the designer off, and the wedding planner stepped up to her side to take the designer's place.

Jarvis was already responding, "I already have. Miss Potts-."

"Hi," Pepper stepped towards the elevator door as it opened, cutting Jarvis off, and then frowned as four people stepped off, looking to the leader of the new group. Stephanie followed, listening as Pepper said, "I thought you said there would be only three photographers."

"He's just here on commission. He does good work." The lead photographer patted a kid on the back, making him come forward. The kid was tall, gawky, like he hadn't fully grown into himself yet, but was close. Thin too. Ridiculously thin.

"Oh, good," Pepper nodded cordially, "What's your name?" she asked politely.

"Peter Parker. You've got a beautiful home, tower-," and then he took a breath to keep himself in check, before finishing with a cocky grin, "Place."

"Thank you Mr. Parker," Pepper smiled back, amused, and Stephanie couldn't help but smile too. Funny kid. "Alright, if you follow me this way, I'll show you the room we're using."

"Not a church?"

"No, Mr. Parker, not a church," Pepper smiled. Stephanie glowered at the kid, though he was immediately abashed for speaking out loud. That was a personal question, and he had no business asking it. Impertinent much? "Tony, isn't- religious."

"And after he worked alongside a god and everything," Stephanie muttered under her breathe as she made to follow Pepper and the gang, but something caught her eye.

She spotted Mr. Impertinent Peter Parker slip away out of the corner of her eye, and followed him with her eyes as he went back the other way. He looked back their way momentarily, and met her gaze, freezing on the spot. She set her mouth, made to turn to catch him.

"Stephanie if you want to go, you don't have to stick around for this part."

Pepper had caught her off guard. She half smiled, her eyes flickering to find Peter Parker again, "Right- of course." He had headed around the corner to the elevators, and out of sight.

"But you can stay if you want." Pepper sounded worried, like she had been offensive somehow.

Stephanie was quick to assure her otherwise, "No, no, that's alright," she was smiling, already backing away, "I'll see you later."

Pepper nodded, and went back to her photography group. Which was one short. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the elevator doors close just before she could reach them.

She frowned, biting her lip, pushing for the other elevator to head downwards, "Jarvis?"

"Yes Miss Steph?" Jarvis answered promptly.

"That press photographer? He's sneaking around the building."

"Yes." Jarvis must have found him on the elevator heading downwards, "I will call security."

"No," Stephanie said, almost to her own surprise, "Can you just tell me where he is? I'll take a whack at him." And she did want to take a whack at him. Stupid photographer had no right to snoop around the tower, not while he was supposed to be preparing to photograph the wedding.

"He's on an elevator," Jarvis replied, sounding anxious as she stepped into the elevator that opened for her, "Are you sure, Miss Steph?"

"Yea-," and then she thought about how she had no way to detain him if he wasn't cooperative. "Is Steve around?" she inquired. Back up would be nice.

"Yes Miss Steph. He's upstairs, reading."

She smiled, imagining Steve trying to figure out the tablet that held so many books on it. He probably didn't know how to use the search engine. She could almost see him pound at it in frustration, and then feel guilt when he realized what he had done. "Send him my way, if you could, please?"

"Of course, Miss Steph."

"Thank you Jarvis," she smiled, and then realized she didn't even know what floor this Peter Parker was going to, "What level is he heading to?"

"Why- the laboratory where Master Stark and Dr. Bann-," but Jarvis stopped speaking, and then said, "Protocol requires me to stop the elevator Miss Steph."

So she wasn't going to get a whack at him after all. She sighed into a wall as her elevator began to descend, "I understand."

But Jarvis broke in with a note of apprehension in his voice, "He's, climbing, Miss Steph. He's climbing down."

"What?" Stephanie stood straight, taking her hands out of her pockets.

"He's descending through the elevator shaft," Jarvis stated more clearly.

Stephanie frowned, confused, shaking her head, "But he must be- a hundred and ten stories up-."

"A hundred and seven now, a hundred and three," Jarvis counted down. The man jumped down four stories at once.

"What is this guy, an acrobat?"

Was he crazy? Or worse?

But the kid had seemed harmless. She hadn't gotten a bad read offa him. But then, who was she, to think she could read people? She was just Stephanie Haven, girl from nowhere Utah. He was jumping four stories for no apparent reason other than to get down to the lab. That sounded sinister enough to her.

And yet-

They stopped, and the elevator doors opened onto the lab.

Something landed on top of the elevator, lightly, but enough that Stephanie noticed, and looked up. Narrowing her eyes, she twisted her mouth at the ceiling of the elevator. The acrobat was obviously not here for wedding photography if he was willing to risk his neck like this.

"Are you going to come into the elevator, or are you going to wait until I get off?" Stephanie demanded, folding her arms.

"Probably wait until you get off," came a voice through the ceiling that wasn't Jarvis.

Stephanie half smiled, despite herself. This guy had guts. And for some stupid reason she found herself liking him.

"You shouldn't be running around in elevator shafts you know," she hissed, trying to sound angry, "It's really dangerous."

"Yeah, you almost took me out," came the sarcastic reply breezily.

She was horrified, "I did? I'm sor-."

"Please tell me you're not that blonde secretary from upstairs," he moaned. "I really don't have time for this-."

She bristled, "What's wrong with being blonde?"

"Stephanie?"

It was like someone had knocked into her with a battering ram, instead of just saying her name aloud. But her name from his mouth left her breathless and woefully unprepared as Bruce came forward, pulling off his glasses. Such a look of hope in his eyes-

And she had nothing to defend herself with. She hadn't mentally prepared herself for seeing him, for hearing his voice. She should have thought about this, about seeing him again, because despite this tower being 100 plus stories they were bound to bump into each other, whether it be with coffee cups or otherwise. And she was trapped there, literally stuck to the spot as she reeled, held upright in those bright eyes, and did she catch a look of sorrow there, worry, concern? Not for her, surely, she was being absolutely,- ridiculous.

So she was happy when the trance was broken by Tony.

"What are you doing down here, Angel Face?" he wanted to know, wearing a black wife-beater and looking miffed that they'd been interrupted. His circle of light on his chest glowed, and she felt bad for wanting to stab it with a fork. He probably had spares anyways, but, she shouldn't be this mean to her host-

But as he spoke she saw something that stopped her heart. Camera dangling from his neck, Stephanie watched as the acrobatic photographer _crawled across the ceiling_. She realized too late she'd been asked a question, and looked down to Tony to try and answer it, "Oh, nothing- I. I-. Think-." She opened her mouth to tell him about the guy hanging by his fingertips on the ceiling when he interrupted her.

"You keep working on that," Tony patted her cheek patronizingly as he turned away, "Let _us_ do the _real_ thinking." He made to pull Bruce away, back to work.

She scowled at him angrily, remembering now why she wanted to fork his energy circle, but her eyes watched as Peter Parker paused, and examined- the jet pack! The one that had been used in the air port and had started this whole mess.

He descended slowly, as though suspended in mid-air, and was hanging by a thread, literally, as Tony and Bruce looked around. "Ah-!" she yelled, and she had both of their attentions, and Peter's, who caught her looking at him, and dropped to the ground behind the table, out of sight.

She looked back to Tony, and Bruce, who were looking at her in puzzlement (to put it kindly on Tony's behalf) and made a split decision, because a bad guy wouldn't talk to you after he ninja'd his way down an elevator shaft would he?

"Anthony Stark!" she marched up to him, frowning, "You are the biggest-," and she paused when she saw a hand come up over the edge of the table with the jetpack on it, before she went on, "jerk on the face of the planet. And I suggest," and she yelled this part to get it clear to Peter Parker, "You get out!" and when she met Tony's eyes again she saw the confusion and anger, and was immediately bashful, "Of my way," and then she saw the hand snag a bit of the jetpack, "_before I call security_-." She saw Peter's head pop up as he finally understood. The weird sentences, messages were meant for him.

"_Excuse me_?" Tony stepped forward, forcing her to look at him as he glared at her with incredulity.

Bruce touched her shoulder, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," she said, retreating slightly, out of his touch, "But if you don't meet me upstairs I'm going to get _really upset_." Peter Parker nodded once at her, puzzled expression on his face. He was puzzled? She was more confused than he was. She was covering for him major. And she didn't know why. Except- that she liked him. A gut decision. Which was weird, and motherly, and – what was she doing again?

Tony was annoyed, but tried to play it off, "What did you give her, Doc?" he clapped Bruce around the shoulders, "And where can I score some?"

Bruce shook his head, pushing his way out of Tony's reach, but was trying to peer into her eyes again, "Nothing, nothing I swear. Stephanie,-."

"No I'm ok. Sorry," Stephanie was back pedaling, escaping, refusing to look into his face.

As she turned, though, he touched her, caught her arm, and all the sudden she was only tense knots, as she looked back around to him.

Bruce held her elbow, as though he was afraid she was falling, and she was falling. But not in the way that he thought, "Let me help you to your room-."

Her room, where he'd slept by her bed to make sure she was alright.

No, to keep her blood safe. Without her, there was no cure for him. No way for him to be with Betty.

A defense came up, angry and bitter as she tugged herself free, "I can get myself there, thanks."

He stepped back as he stammered, "Al-alright."

And he sounded so confused.

Oh, this wasn't fair to him, to avoid him when he hadn't done anything wrong. It wasn't his fault that he was in love with someone else, had been in love with someone else for years. He had thought they were friends, and here she was bitter and biting when he had brought her here, had kept her safe from Eye Patch and his gang, even thwarting Tony for her sake so she was safe. He'd been kind, and she'd been mean in return.

She got back into the elevator, completely morose and forgetting that she had something else to worry about.

The elevator doors closed, and someone dropped from the ceiling. If she'd been in a right mind she might have screamed, or might not have, but she didn't. The thought didn't even cross her mind. She still hung her head.

"Wow."

"Wow what?" she snapped at Peter Parker. It was his fault she had seen him. His fault that she had gone to the lab in the first place. She was allowed to be mad at someone who was a thief, wasn't she?

"What was that?" Peter sounded sarcastic.

"I was keeping you from getting tossed into jail," she frowned at his feet, folding her arms, lips pursed.

"I can handle myself," he sounded cocky, shrugging into himself comfortably, and she saw a half grin on his face.

She glared up at him, "Oh really? What are you, fifteen?" He looked young, with dark hair and dark eyes. He looked like he should be hanging out with kids at the mall or something. What did city kids do with their time, anyways?

"Twenty two," he corrected, with a spark of anger in his eyes.

Oh. But still. She just wanted to thrash him, to lash out, at someone, anyone, and this kid was closest. Even if he wasn't a kid, or whatever, "Did you know this place is the most high tech building in all of New York? All the world, maybe?" He was looking at the ground, leaning back and forth, nodding at the floor.

"An argument could be made that Oscorp-," he tried to interject.

She cut him off, because Oscorp was known to have slimeballs for business dealers and frauds for scientists. Wasn't it something, like five, six years ago? That one of their guys had turned themselves into a lizard to try to re-grow his arm or something? It was around the time that Spider guy had run around New York for a bit, but then Iron Man had come into the picture, and stolen the show, like he always did. "Well Jarvis knew where you were the whole time."

"Jarvis?" Peter sounded puzzled, and a little cautious.

"The computer program that runs Stark Tower," she explained dryly.

Peter looked up and around, blinking, "It- knew where I was the whole time?" he asked, looking nervous.

"Yes he knew," she smiled confident that she'd shaken this idiot into his right mind, and pushed a button for the elevator to start, "And where did you learn stunts like that? I mean, running around Stark Tower is gutsy, but jumping down an elevator shaft when the elevator stops working?" he was looking truly nervous now, as though he didn't know what to do with her, "And climbing on the ceiling-."

That caught him completely off guard, "You saw that?"

"How could I not see it? Your camera was dangling out of nowhere," she gestured widely, "How did you do it?"

"Do what?" he was pretending now. She wasn't going to have any of that from a smart mouth kid.

"Don't play dumb," she snapped, "Or innocent. I can still call security you know." The elevator door opened to the first floor, where people were milling about in and out. Only the top ten floors were private, and a few floors were for experimentation, but the rest of this building? Steve had only shown her part of it. Of course it made sense that people worked here.

He paused as she stepped out, "Wha- wait, where are we going?"

Stephanie grabbed him out of the elevator, "You're going back to campus, kid."

The elevator door closed behind him as he frowned, tugging away from her roughly, "Kid? You've got to be like, three years youngerthan me?"

"I'm twenty four," she corrected him, feeling old as she said it, mouth pursed.

"Two years _older _than me," he rolled his eyes, before he narrowed them, leaning forward, "You'd think Tony Stark would want a girl with, you know," and he gestured to make a large chest, "for a secretary."

She scowled, folding her arms over her chest self consciously, "First off I'm _not_ a secretary, and second off _he's getting married_."

"What for real?" he blinked, "Tony Stark is getting married."

"Yeah, and she's way too-," and as he gestured at the camera, she realized too late that he had been sarcastic as he held up his camera. He was here as a _wedding photographer_. She shook her head at him, "You're a punk."

He grinned, standing straighter at the title, putting his hands in his pockets, "So what are you doing here? Who are you?"

"I'm Stephanie Haven. I'm here- for the time being." How long that time being was she didn't know. And he wasn't supposed to be asking the questions! "And I could ask you the same question."

"I'm Peter Parker. I'm here as a commissioned photographer." Oh so funny. This kid was going to get her newly reformed left hook if he didn't cut it out.

"And?" she wanted to know.

"And what?"

She put her hands on her hips, "And what did you steal that piece of the jetpack for?"

"I didn't steal anything," he lied. He twitched at something, looking over his shoulder, paranoid. Totally. Lying.

She didn't particularly like liars. She narrowed her eyes at him, "Are you working with the guy who used that jetpack?"

"What?" he was taken aback, stepping away from her as though reeling, "No, no! I'm on one of the good guys."

She'd thought so- but just because he said it didn't prove anything, "Right. So what did you need that piece of the jetpack for?"

"It- had a symbol on it," he relented, a hand jerking to his pocket.

Stephanie knew it immediately, "A hammer."

"Yeah." He sounded surprised that she had known as he pulled it out reflexively. She made a face. Just because she was blonde didn't mean she was entirely useless. And she hated how pop culture had created the horrible stereotype for blondes; either a blonde was a villainess, or she was the obnoxious, stupid, pointless side person. Stephanie knew she wasn't the first and was pretty sure she wasn't the later. Unless she was talking to Tony Stark.

"Do you know who's symbol it is? What it represents?" she asked him, earnest. If they could get to the bottom of this, now, then it would save them a lot of trouble after they figured out how to turn the chemical in her blood into a serum. They wouldn't have to go interrogate the bad guy.

He shook his head, his eyes flicking around, "Not yet," and his eyes grew dark as they set on something, not there but in the distance, a storm sparking in them, "But I've got some idea who's behind it all."

Intriguing. Peter Parker was intriguing. He obviously had a past of some sort, training too if the acrobatics were anything to do with it. "Who is behind it all?" she encouraged, hoping to induce something out of him, "There's more to this?"

"Yes," Peter Parker looked over his shoulder, and then over her shoulder, unsettled, and she could sense, ready for action. She tensed.

"Well it was nice to meet you, Stephanie Haven, but I have some business to attend to-." And with that he leapt clean over her, and was pushing the button of the elevator as she turned, mouth gaping.

"Hey! Wait-!" she managed before the elevator doors slid open.

And revealed Steve.

He looked down at Peter, who was looking back at Stephanie with a cocky grin as he walked straight into him. Peter bumped, and stumbled backwards. "What do you think you're doing, son?" Steve asked in a great authoritative voice. Stephanie would have imagined it would be able to stir crowds in the 40s to fight Nazis.

"Oh," Peter looked up at Steve, surprised and now unsure, his shoulders jerking away as he gave a false grin that showed his bottom teeth, "Hi."

Steve easily picked him up by the front of his shirt, letting Peter's feet dangle off the ground, "Bye," he nodded to him slightly, confidently. And he made to take Peter to the exit.

Peter scrambled to get their attention, trying to free himself of Steve's hold on his front "Look I'm just trying to find out who that guy with the jet pack was! I think I found a lead on who is behind it-!"

Stephanie stepped forward, no longer a spectator, "Who?"

Steve paused, looking to her doubtfully, "Steph, who is this guy?" he asked as he held her aloft.

"He's-."

"My name's Peter Parker," Peter said in a rush over her, trying to pry Steve's fingers away. Who did this guy think he was? This was Captain America for goodness' sakes- but Peter seemed surprised about how strong Steve's grip was. Oh that's right. Not everyone knew who Captain America was. She was on the inside now. How weird.

"Steve Rogers." Steve returned the courtesy politely. Steve was polite. She'd always liked that about him. "You have a lead on the man that attacked Stark Tower," he prompted.

"Sort of," Peter quibbled, but Steve held him higher, a sterner look coming over his face, and Peter was more compliant, "I-I-I mean that he's linked to something bigger-."

"Who's your lead?" Steve asked this time.

Peter sighed, and then a determined look, that same storm in his eye fired up, "Oscorp."

"Oscorp?" Stephanie was taken aback. Sure slimeballs worked there, and mad scientists, but to arrange an attack against Stark tower so blatantly? Gutsy move, yeah? Did people in New York City do that?

Stacks of newspapers and news feed said they did. It was odd to be in a place that held this amount of crime. It reminded her of how very real it was, not just a picture in the paper or thirty five seconds of time on the nine o'clock news.

But- a hammer wasn't the Oscorp symbol. Maybe it was an Oscorp associate, and he was looking to trace them back together?

"The science company that rivals Stark Industries?" Steve was surprised to by the sound of it.

"Yes." And Peter's confidence was eerie, even as he dangled several inches off of the ground. She had to question it.

"What makes you think it was Oscorp? They have a different symbol than a hammer, don't they?" she pointed out to him.

"They do," Peter did his best to turn to her, but there was kind of a fist in the way. He pointed his finger at Steve as he tried to pry himself free with the other nine, "But hey, can you get him to put me down?"

She looked to Steve, who nodded at her, but before he put him down, he glowered, "If you run again the next time I put you down it'll be in pieces." And he dropped him.

Stephanie stepped back- what dark depth had _that_ threat come from?

Peter didn't even seem fazed. He unwrinkled his shirt as best he could, staggering away from Steve towards Stephanie, "Alright, sheesh." He looked to her, "And can we go back up to my tour group? I don't want to lose my job."

"Tour group?" Steve was confused.

"He's here as a wedding photographer," Stephanie told him with half a shrug as Peter tapped his camera cheekily. She gave the kid an exasperated look as she punched the button for the elevator.

"What's he doing down here?" Steve asked, keeping a close eye on Peter as they all stepped into the elevator. Peter was careful to keep Stephanie between them as he did so.

"It's a long story," Stephanie sighed as the elevator doors slid shut. She turned to Peter, hand out, "Look, you have to give me back that metal piece."

"Why?" Like a two year old demanding why he couldn't keep the toy. He'd fit in brilliantly with Tony. Maybe too brilliantly.

She twisted her mouth, "They'll notice it missing." And sullenly he handed it back to her, mouth off angled in a pouty sort of way. She shook her head at him, and with an encouraging smile she left her palm open, "Here, take a few pictures of it."

He was surprised at that, and half grinned up at her brightly, "Alright." He grabbed hold of his camera, and started snapping away, turning it this way and that. Stephanie stood there patiently.

"Why are you so willing to help this guy?" Steve muttered in her ear as he did this.

"Yeah, why are you helping me?" Peter asked out loud as he continued to look through his camera lens.

"It," and she didn't know how to explain it, because she didn't know herself. Her gut instinct? Was that so wrong? The fact that this kid looked like he was eighteen instead of twenty two? Why? Why had she done it? "was a split decision. Sort of. Thing. I don't know." But she cocked her head at the kid, "But I'm not sorry I did."

And Peter paused to give her a half grin, but there was more than cockiness to it this time. Had she detected- trust there?

Steve was not happy with Peter eavesdropping. He stepped in closer to Stephanie, "He could be-."

"One with the Dark Side of the Force," Peter cut in as he stood up straight, done with picture taking. Stephanie snorted outright. Steve was left in the dust, and annoyed with it. Peter continued, "Well, for one, if I were, wouldn't I have wreaked a whole lot more havoc or something?" The kid did have a point. "And two, would I be giving you all this information?"

"But you're not giving us all this information," Stephanie pointed out.

"I'll explain later," he said as the elevator door opened. He turned to see her sarcastic glare. He held his hands up, "No I seriously will. I just want to keep this job." He jerked his thumb back towards where they had come, "Look, we can meet for coffee sometime. Tomorrow?"

"Where?" Stephanie wanted to know.

"Here's the address," Peter pulled a wadded up piece of paper from his pocket, along with a pen, and scrawled something out in a hurry, "Come alone. I don't want to have to explain to body guard here what's going on."

Steve already wasn't happy. Why'd he have to go and jibe at him more? "Son,-."

Stephanie interjected, "Steve should come. He's knows the city, and I don't."

Peter made a face, before shrugging it off, half staggering away amusedly, "Fine, whatever." He was about to hand her the paper when-

"Where have you been?"

It was his boss.

Oh no.

Peter was immediately abashed, "I'm sorry-."

"It's my fault," Stephanie said smoothly, stepping up, hands behind her back to hide the metal jet pack piece. "I-I wanted his opinion on some of my own photography."

Stupid! Not a good enough excuse! She could read it in his boss's eyes.

He looked back at Peter, "This is a job-."

"No it really is my fault," she inserted, now level with Peter and his boss, "Please don't get mad at him, or- or fire him. He's really good with a camera. Pepper, you'd miss some great photo ops if he doesn't come back." She gave Pepper an imploring look.

"I know," Pepper smiled, and graciously stepped to Stephanie's side, "I'm sorry, you haven't been properly introduced. This is my dear friend, Stephanie- she's filling in for my maid of honor who couldn't be here today." She smiled broadly.

He looked at Stephanie with more respect, it seemed, "Oh a pleasure, miss."

"So we agree? He'll still be here to photograph the wedding?" Pepper nodded once at the boss encouragingly, and, was that a hint of a threat too? Barely there in her eyes? As though she would be upset if things didn't go her way?

The boss seemed to see it, too, "Yes- yes of course."

Pepper, how are you such a genius? Stephanie beamed, and Peter seemed to sigh into a more relaxed stance. The kid was lithe, she could tell even just how he stood.

"That's a relief," Pepper's predatorily hint was gone, and she was content again. What a pro. Stephanie wondered how she did it. "I think I was showing you to the elevator."

"Ah yes," and the photographers made to leave.

Peter nodded at Pepper graciously, "Thank you, Miss Potts."

"Thank you Mr. Parker," Pepper smiled at him, nodding back respectfully, "I don't think I've seen Stephanie smile that brightly in days now."

Stephanie twisted her mouth. Had she really been that pouty?

"Stephanie," he nodded at her.

"Peter." She smiled at him, before half turning, "What time?"

"I'm free for lunch," he shrugged.

She nodded. She was free all the time. She looked at him through shrewd eyes, "You'd better be there."

"I will." He told her with cocky conviction, and she felt the paper press into her palm. He swiveled around so he faced forward in the elevator, and then, with a flicker of a wave, he and the photography team, were gone.

Pepper had already moved on, was talking to the planner and the designer as they paced into the wedding room, which left Stephanie standing next to Steve with the paper in her hand.

"Steph what was that about?" he asked her imperatively.

She turned. He had come to her rescue, and then had been left in the dust. She looked up at him, sincerely hoping he wasn't upset, because she couldn't handle losing another one. "Don't be mad."

He shook his head, "I'm not mad." And he looked into her eyes, "You went on your instincts. A good trait." He patted her on the back, and smiled at her.

"It can be a bad one," she twisted her mouth, but was relieved, because he wasn't mad. He was proud. She smiled at her shoes as they got into the elevator, and looked at the paper in her hands. She fiddled to get it open. "What did you think of him?"

He stopped, narrowing his eyes as the elevator door shut, taking more of a stance as he did so. He covered his mouth with one of his hands, and then, with half a smile said, "He's- one of us."

She blinked, and smiled as he approved her judgment. She'd made the right call then! Because there was no way Captain America's instincts could be wrong, "A good guy then?"

"A good guy," he smiled at her innocent phrase, "Though a little young for you-."

She made an appalled face, "Ew, Steve!" and she smacked him. It hurt her knuckles. "He was like twelve!" And while he hadn't been twelve, she saw him that way- like the way Steve was that older brother she'd never had, and Peter was categorized similarly, something like a kid brother, shuffling around in his pumped up kicks and all. Tony was that obnoxious uncle, and his only redeeming quality was the woman he was marrying, Pepper, who was amazing and wonderful. And Bruce-

No, he wasn't a relative.

But maybe she should make him one. Maybe then it would be easier to forget that she lov-

And then she realized how stupid it was to categorize these people at all. These were the Avengers! And Peter. Somehow that kid had to fit into this mess somewhere.

Steve was still snickering at his joke, "I know." And for some reason he sobered up. She peered up at him curiously, before he tentatively tried, "Have you talked to Dr. Banner-?"

She looked away from him immediately, staring at the silver doors, "No, I haven't."

He pried further, "What happened, Steph?"

"What do you mean?" she queried in a tone that said she really didn't want to know what he meant, staring straight ahead.

"The other night, at dinner," he prompted as the elevator doors opened.

"Nothing," and she would have stuck with that had Steve not caught her shoulder and spun her to face him. She twisted her mouth, not making eye contact. "Ok, it's complicated- or it's not complicated." She touched her head, not sure how to unscramble the mess.

"That makes it a whole lot clearer, Steph." His tone was obviously sarcastic as he tried to look into her face.

She shook her head at him, walking away, "Don't tease me, ok?"

"Miss Steph," Jarvis said politely, "Master Stark is calling for you."

"Tell him to shove it," she said viciously, stalking towards her room.

"Geez," Steve said in surprise, and stopped next to her door, "And I thought I didn't like him."

Jarvis spoke up again, "Miss Steph, he's insisting."

"Tell him I'll talk to him later, ok?" she told the ceiling as she opened the door. But of course she wasn't going to talk to him later. Not ever, if she could help it. Especially not when she felt like forking his circle of light.

"He says if you don't come down he will come and get you." Jarvis sounded cautionary and exasperated at the conversation.

Stephanie scoffed, "Oh yeah? I want to see him try." She stepped through to her room, and said, "See you later, Steve."

"But Steph-." And she shut the door.

All she wanted to do was figure out where the meeting place for tomorrow was. She sat cross legged on her bed, and unfolded the paper. It had some old gum folded hastily into an edge which she "ewwed" at, but there was an address scrawled there.

She put it on the bed, and next to it she laid the distorted piece of metal with the hammer symbol on it. A lead, and a clue. She flattened out the bedspread around them, making it smooth.

"Jarvis, can you bring up a screen?"

One appeared before her, opaque and with a search bar. She smiled. Stark Tower was so cool.

"Can you search for this address?" she held up the paper with the old gum and address on it.

"Yes, Miss Steph," Jarvis said kindly, and an image on the screen appeared of an outdoor café. It turned out to be a camera feed, which she realized as people milled about, and girls came out to ask for orders, "Also, Miss Steph, Master Stark is-."

She cut him off, not wanting to hear about "Master Stark". "Is it close?"

"Yes Miss Steph," and a route on the screen appeared in red, from Stark Tower to the address.

It wasn't far. She smiled at the ceiling, "Thank you Jarvis-."

Jarvis sounded a little frantic as he interrupted, "Miss Steph, he's-."

And Tony came barreling through the door, walking directly for her. "-nobody in my house can just refuse me anything, Jarvis. That's not how it works-."

"But sir,-."

And before she could even register anything happening, Tony had hauled her over his shoulder, tossing her like a sack of potatoes, and was leaving.

She caught her breath, "Put me down!" she demanded in a strangled, outraged voice as he closed the door behind them, "Anthony Stark I swear-."

He bumped her up on his shoulder, "Also, I hate to be called Anthony."

"Put me down _now_!" she commanded, trying to kick her way out of his grip, but it was strong as he walked with her nonchalantly down the hallway to the elevator.

"Sir!" Jarvis protested as Tony pushed the button to descend.

"What the hell is going on here-?" Steve's voice came out of nowhere as she heard jogging footsteps. She tried to turn and see, but, oh, wait, Tony's fat head was in the way. She kicked all the harder, shrieking defiantly.

"Go back to the gym, soldier," Tony said dismissively as he made to get on the elevator.

"Stark-!" shouted Steve as she glimpsed him, before Tony turned and she was facing the stupid steel wall.

"Jarvis, the doors."

And they slid shut on Steve's face. Stephanie pounded his back angrily, furiously. How dare he? How _dare_ this world class barbarian force her to go anywhere? She would stab his light circle- no, too violent. She would sue for harassment, and take him for everything he was worth! This was infuriating, and humiliating, and _how dare he_!

"Sir if you would-," Jarvis tried when they had been descending for a moment.

"If she had behaved like a rational adult and come down when I had asked, this wouldn't be a problem," Tony gestured to the elevator.

"You don't get to boss me around-!" she yowled.

"If you weren't acting like a sulky five year old I wouldn't have to," he told her as the doors to the elevator slid open, "But, as it is."

"Tony!" and she heard something glass drop to a counter as Bruce came to her rescue.

"Hi," Tony told him as they passed, Bruce staring on in open horror.

"Put me down this-," and he deposited her unceremoniously on a table, when she landed hard, "Oof!"

"Now," he stepped forward, and leaned into her face with a false smile, "explain why there is an engineered spider thread hanging from the ceiling of my lab."

She glowered at him, not really caring what was in his stupid lab, "A what?"

"An engineered spider web," and then he made his voice slow and little, like he was talking to a child, "It a string that comes out of a spider's a-."

She stopped him before he continued, "No, I get what a spider web is."

And blinked.

Something- clicked. Inside her head.

A spider's web where Peter had been dangling- a _spider's_ web?

But Spiderman was believed to be dead, or had hung up the mask, or something. Peter Parker was only twenty two- he couldn't be Spiderman. It meant that he would have been something like sixteen, seventeen when he fought Lizard man? That couldn't be right. A high school kid fending off a villain like that? Spiderman had stuck around for a few months after Lizard man,-until Tony Stark-. Tony had taken over the super hero of New York gig, and Spiderman had faded into the back ground.

Was Peter Spiderman?

That would be interesting to bring up over coffee tomorrow.

Stupid of him to leave such an obvious clue in the middle of Tony Stark's main lab. If he really was Spiderman, he was rusty.

"Tony, she doesn't have anything to do with this," Bruce inserted, stepping forward, and catching her eyes. No- no not again.

"It was here after she left," Tony pointed out. And he was probably right.

She had to cover for him, "Just because you've got problems with your cleaning lady-."

"Angel Face," Tony leaned in closer, "I don't think you grasp the concept." He thought she was dense. "Engineered. Meaning man-made."

She wasn't dense, she was bluffing, "Stark, I really don't know why there's a spider web on your ceiling. I'll go get a duster if it'll help."

"It's based off of something created by Oscorp, a type of tiny cable that can hold an extraordinary amount of weight," Bruce said, pulling up pictures of the Oscorp cable as he spoke so that Stephanie had to twist around to look at them, "And then made to become sticky, like a spider's web." He had an image of a thread enhanced by pulling at an edge of the picture, and then flung it to the center, "It's actually a brilliant idea." The lilt in his voice expressed his excitement as he grabbed images from mid air with only his finger tips and flung them towards the middle so they overlapped each other.

"I hate bugs," Tony said quietly as he stepped up around the table to take a closer look at the images. He grabbed hold of several with his fingers and flung them out so he could examine the middle one. "And this one is particularly creative," he said slowly, to himself.

She could see them going back into work mode, and leaving her behind again. Ah, yes, she remembered that first day of testing like it was yesterday. Oh wait. It had been almost yesterday. Four days ago, actually.

She wanted to leave. She didn't want to stay there and watch them work. It was not something she would put up with again now that certain facts had come to light, and she had already been close enough to Bruce for too long, his presence was infiltrating her senses. Her barriers weren't thick enough. But she was almost sure that Tony wouldn't let her go after carrying her down here like that. Well she could at least try to make a break for it. She slid off of the table top, "Well if you expect me to have figured out how to fabricate a spider web-."

"Um, no, I don't think you figured it out," Tony told her without looking away from the images, folding one arm, and propping an elbow up on his folded arm so he could stroke his weird goatee.

"Then what _are_ you saying?" she demanded, waiting for him to make her stay. This time she was going to hit him. It really was going to happen.

"Leave."

She paused mid step, and turned around. "What?"

"I don't need you anymore," his tone was dismissive, matter of fact.

"You didn't need me in the first place!" she raged, infuriated.

He had humiliated her by dragging her down here, and then she hadn't even been worth the fuss. What, did he just want to dramatize everything in life? Or was it because she had told him to shove it that he had had to take it up as a challenge? He had just wanted everyone to know he always won, no matter what! Self centered, egotistical brat of man! "You hauled me all the way down here-."

He interrupted evenly, "Jarvis get me a list of everyone who's entered Stark Tower today. I think we can narrow down that it was someone with a higher level of clearance," he turned away from the image as he spoke, walking towards her until he almost ran into her. She glowered up at him, mouth tight, fire burning in her eyes. "What are you still doing here?" he asked as he edged around her.

She turned on the spot to watch his retreating back, her hands balled into fists, "You've got to be the most infuriating guy-."

"Infuriating guy that has saved the world-." He added as he stopped at a microscope, pointing a finger as though to remind her.

She stalked up to him, "I don't care if you saved the world or not. I don't care how rich you are or how smart you are." She was trying to get in his face, but it wasn't very effective when the person was looking into a microscope, "It doesn't give you right to treat people like-."

And he stood up, to pat her cheek, "Uh, it gives me every right, Angel Face," he said in the most self satisfied, aggravating, egotistical tone she'd ever heard.

There was a slap.

It sent Stark reeling, stepping backwards as he clutched his face, looking appalled.

"No," she seethed, panting, "It doesn't."

It took her a moment to register that her hand was stinging, that adrenaline was running through her veins as though she were in fight or flight mode. And then she realized too late what had happened.

She had just slapped Tony Stark. _The_ Tony Stark. The wealthy, powerful, Iron Man Tony Stark.

She looked to her hand, and then back at him, blanching.

She had never hit anyone- well, not since kindergarten- but, never. And she had just slapped one of the most influential men in probably the history of the world. Outright. Well if there was a place to start.

"I-." And then she turned to go. She couldn't say sorry. She didn't really mean it. She wouldn't apologize to him. She wouldn't.

"Why are you so mad at me? Is it because you overheard the other night at dinner?" and his voice made her pause. "That isn't my fault-."

How dare he bring that up?

"No," and she half turned to face him, anger half racing through her again, "it's because you continue to ridicule-."

And now Tony had caught up to her, hand over where he'd been hit, "So?"

She felt tears pricking in her eyes. Oh no not now. Not now when it was all so wrong, and so embarrassing and so absolutely awful. Her voice was strong though as she answered, "So just because you hate me-."

"Hate you?" he cut her off, wrinkling his nose in disgust, "Um, no, I don't hate you. Way to assume that you know everything though."

She faced him full on, her hands fists again, "You totally hate me-."

"No, see, if I hated you, you wouldn't be here," he told her, circling his finger at the floor.

But- it seemed like- he hated her- from the very beginning, she'd just assumed, because he was so rude to her.

"Uh huh," he said in an "I-Told-You-So" tone of voice as he saw the expression on her face.

And there was her hand print, bright red on his cheek. Guilt overwhelmed her, clenching her stomach.

"Actually," he said, backing away nonchalantly as he shrugged, "I think you're kind of funny."

Her eyes met his, and she was sorrowful. So sorrowful. She pressed her fist into her stomach with her other hand, trying to ease the awful feeling there, somehow.

She had been wrong, she had been so wrong.

"Yeah. Fun to tease, etcetera etcetera-," and he half smiled at her, and, was he trying to cheer her up? Because that's what his expression looked like, but that had to be wrong! He gestured outwards, "but I'm just saying this so maybe you'll stop acting like an easily offended teenager and you realize that _I always win_-." And while his smile was cocky she also registered that he didn't mean it, that he was only trying to goad an annoyed smile out of her, which came readily, "And that you're still in my lab after I asked you to leave." And she realized she'd been planted there, watching him. And she realized, yeah, he was a jerk, yeah, but she had to deal with it. Not because he was making her, but because really, deep down, she liked him. She really did, even if he was a pro at pushing buttons. Well it had worked too well this time, Tony Stark, she felt like saying aloud, but he was already talking, "So don't make me repeat myself again. Go." And he shooed towards the elevator, "Away."

She twisted her mouth ruefully at him, before heading back the way she came, "Jerk," she muttered.

"What was that?" he asked, and she smiled, annoyed still, "That's right, keep walking."

"You didn't need to be so mean to her." She creaked to a stop at Bruce's voice, wrenching.

He had been there- the whole time.

The light hearted feeling that had just been comprehend was instantly gone.

Bruce had watched her – the whole time.

She forced herself to push the button on the elevator, her shoulders rigid.

"Still, big guy? Still?" Tony's voice sounded incredulous.

"Yes still," Bruce murmured, his tone hushing itself so she barely heard.

"You've got to be joking-," Tony was stammering with indignation, "She just hit me. Did you- You saw that, right?"

"Yes, I saw it."

Did she detect a smile in his tone?

She didn't dare look.

The elevator doors opened, and she stood straight, walking into the elevator and resolving not to look around until they had closed behind her.

"And still-?"

"Yes still-," and Bruce snapped angrily this time.

The elevator doors shut, and she sighed, leaning against one wall for support.

The fact that that had all just happened in real life was still processing in her brain. She'd slapped Tony, and then he'd made sure they kissed and made up before he kicked her out again. He didn't hate her, he just was a self centered, obnoxious, obscene, self serving brat.

And he had to have everyone he liked loving him, and only paying attention to him all the time or he got snippy. And because she hadn't like him right off the bat, he had teased, and argued, and ridiculed until she had slapped him. Hard.

Her hand still hurt.

"He's got to be the biggest jerk on the face of the planet," she grumbled out, because it was probably true, "Jarvis," she asked.

"Yes Miss Steph?" the voice came politely.

"You can't tell him about Peter."

Now Jarvis stuttered, "But I-."

"Please," she clasped her hands together in front of her, "He's the first lead we've got."

"Actually, I believe Master Stark has deduced-."

"Please, Jarvis? Please?" she begged.

"Alright, Miss Steph," he relented with a sigh, "I will not tell him about the acrobatics, though I am sure he will discover the identity of the person who left the spider web soon enough without my help."

"Just not until tomorrow," she added with a half smile of hope. She had a few questions to ask this alleged Spiderman, and she was going to be one step ahead of Tony Stark for the first time since all this had begun.

For now she was going to the gym. And the was going to learn how to box that punching bag right off its hinges, like Steve did.

**A/N: Welcome Peter Parker to this crazy story! what did ya'll think? **

**Guys, I just really like Peter. I saw the movie (you should too) and he is part of the Avengers sometimes, and why else would they be doing a reboot now if it weren't for the Avengers? That's my theory on the matter. I thought I'd include him early, since Oscorp really is something to do with this plot.**

**For those of you wondering about Clint, and his Tasha, right now, and why I haven't added him quite yet, well, he's off in this story "Of Finding A Doctor" by InfinityLessThree. Go read it! It'll help clue you in. **

**Yes we are beginning to tandem write. Don't worry. It'll be fabulous! ;)**

**Your reviews are all so encouraging! I can't wait until I hear your feedback on this one! Love you all lots! **

**Till next time, dearies! **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry it's been so long!**

**Well you see, when I write I write the dialogue first, and then fill in the blanks second, so when I was writing this chapter, I must've saved the dialogue and not the fill in the blanks, so I had to basically rewrite this whole chapter. It's not as good as my other one, but what can you do? I hope you all like it!**

**Thank you for all of the reviews, all of the thoughts! I'm glad some of you like Spidey, and I'm sorry some of you don't- it'll turn out all right in the end though. You'll see. **

**Anyways, enjoy reading! :D**

Chapter 7

Tomorrow came.

She'd been at Stark Tower for seven days.

Pepper's wedding was five days away.

As was her brother's graduation, who she still had not contacted. At all.

And she had a meeting with Mr. Peter Parker.

She no longer wanted Steve to come with her. She had a lot of personal questions to ask Peter, and she was positive he wasn't going to want to tell her, let alone the guy that had half throttled him the other day.

She dressed up a little, and not for Peter, but because this was the first time she had actually stepped foot into New York City. She didn't know what awaited her, but she wanted to look good for it. She did that every place she moved. It was old habit she supposed, since she had done it when her mom was still dressing her nicely for meeting new people, traveling different places.

So when Steve knocked on her door and she had curled hair and a touch of makeup, he whistled. "Wowie, doll, what's the occasion?"

She rolled her eyes at him, flattered all the same, but shrugged, "I'm going into New York City. I wanted to look my best I guess." He offered her his arm, and she took it after slinging her specially packed satchel over her shoulder, feeling little next to him. "You don't look so bad yourself, soldier."

The elevator doors opened before Steve could reach and push the button.

And out came Bruce.

He was wearing glasses, his sleeves rolled up like usual, but the excited expression that had momentarily glowed on his face was dying.

"Stephanie?"

"Hi Bruce," she smiled awkwardly, and let go of Steve's arm.

Why was this awkward? It shouldn't have been!

"W-where are you, two, headed?" he asked, pulling his glasses off. His stutter was pronounced. He must have been caught off guard by something. But what? Did she look bad? She knew the shorts were too short, or maybe the floral blouse was too long- or maybe it was a dress, she just hadn't been sure- or maybe she was being conceited and it had nothing to do with her at all.

"We were going to go meet a friend," Steve said smoothly, and gestured for Stephanie to go first. "Did you need us for something Doctor?"

"Oh," and Bruce ducked his head, and shook it, "No, no, I was just- coming to see if Stephanie was available-."

"Available for what?" she fiddled with her satchel strap- why did she have to sound so breathless?

"Nothing," he wasn't looking up, why wasn't he looking up? "It- it can wait. Until after."

All together in the elevator, she couldn't think of anything to say as the silent tension built. She looked to Steve for help, but he was staring persistently at the ceiling.

The elevator stopped at the lab floor.

"So where- where are you meeting this friend?" Bruce asked as the elevator doors opened.

"A café," and she didn't know the name of it in all honesty.

Bruce looked to Steve, catching the elevator door to keep it from closing on him, "Be careful with her. We don't know, who knows about her."

She felt herself frowning. Addressed as an object yet again.

"Don't worry Doctor. I'll keep her safe," Steve patted her on the shoulder.

"Do you want some more of my blood just in case?" she asked snarkily. She was mad at him for wanting to keep her safe just because she could cure him. Sure, it was a big deal, but he didn't really need to keep her safe, he needed the weird mutation in her blood to cure himself.

And he looked up into her eyes then, his gaze snagging on hers. She watched his thoughts as something clicked in his mind, and then his mouth tugged, his eyes entirely sorrowful. "No, no," he shook his head, and backed away from her.

The elevator doors shut, and their gaze was severed. She could breathe again.

Why had he stared at her that way?

She shook it off.

She and Steve rode in silence for a moment. She leaned into him, moping, and his arm went around her shoulder, patting reassuringly.

"You guys will figure it out," Steve promised soothingly.

"Yeah?" she half smiled, before shaking her head, forcing herself to stand straighter, though she clutched her satchel strap with both of her hands, "No, we can't- he's practically engaged or whatever."

"Engaged?" Steve asked in confusion, "To who?"

"Betty? Betty Ross?" she tried, hopeful that he might know something about her.

Steve frowned with one corner of his mouth, "I've never heard of Betty Ross."

She sighed, hugging herself, "Apparently they've been in love for years or something, and he left her because he turned into the Hulk."

"Did you guys talk about it?" Steve inquired.

"No," she balked at the idea, before half laughing at the thought, "No, heavens no. We don't talk-." And she stopped herself sadly, "Anymore."

"I noticed." Steve sounded grim, "But don't go assuming things."

"Tony practically said it-."

"Tony doesn't know anything," Steve interrupted, stern, "Heck, I'm surprised he's getting married himself. I didn't think he was the type to settle down. His father surely wasn't." And he looked distant as he said it. It took Stephanie a minute to remember that Steve had known Howard Stark. Crazy.

"Pepper's a good person," Stephanie said, thinking that if anyone could hold on to Tony, it was Pepper, but she had to ask someone who knew them better, "Do you think it will last?"

"I hope so." Steve's mouth lifted at the corners, "And if I know Tony, deep down, he's very loyal. The only person in the world he really trusts is Pepper."

"Who's going to be his best man?" Stephanie wondered, thinking that it might be Bruce.

"Colonel Roads," Steve answered without missing a beat as the elevator doors opened onto a garage, full of the most beautiful cars Stephanie had ever seen compiled into one area.

Stephanie smiled at the name of Colonel Roads, thinking of the respectable man she knew something of, "The aviator- I've heard of him on the news," she said as she caught up to Steve, who was making his way through the garage purposefully.

"Yes. He sometimes joins Tony when things start going downhill," and when Stephanie looked up at him questioningly Steve smiled, "He has a suit too."

Stephanie's eyebrows rose, and she almost said something, when Steve stopped, and her mind totally switched gears.

Steve was standing in front of a two-wheeled monstrosity.

She took a step back, "Speaking of suits-."

"What?" Steve wanted to know as he slid onto the bike.

"A motorcycle?" she questioned.

He nodded at her, and then read her expression, "A very safe one, I promise."

"Right, but, a motorcycle?" Stephanie bit her lip.

She wasn't the biggest fan of motorcycles ever since her friend got into an accident on one. Not to mention that hospitals were filled everyday with motorcycle victims.

"I've got a helmet for you," Steve proffered her a big black one. The only one.

"Then where's yours?" she prompted with a false smile, thinking she'd won an argument. Not enough helmets, take a car instead.

"I don't think a car could smash my head open if it tried," Steve said cockily.

She frowned, "Steve."

He held the helmet out to her again, "I promise, I'm a safe driver."

She took it tentatively, "I believe it, but-."

"Steph?" he raised his eyebrows.

Discussion was over. She sighed in defeat, "Fine."

And if she was going to ride on a motorcycle, she might as well ride with Captain America right?

Stephanie stumbled off of the motorcycle as soon as they reached the café, and backed away from it immediately, pulling off the helmet and shaking.

"Aw c'mon, Steph it wasn't that bad," Steve chuckled as he turned the horrific hospital trap off.

But it had been that bad. They'd almost run headlong into a semi truck, not to mention the swerving between traffic. It had been absolutely terrifying.

She was shaking her head continuously, "Nope, not ever again. Never. Not in a million years no-."

Steve got off his death machine, trying to calm her down, "Steph, you've had to hold onto the Hulk for dear life. I've seen the video feeds."

She was still shaking her head, clutching the helmet to her as though it would get rid of the nasty fear that had eaten away her innards, "It's different, totally different."

He rolled his eyes as he stepped towards her, pocketing his keys, "Steph, you're a doll."

She frowned up at him, angry, stepping backwards, away from him, "No I'm not a doll-."

"You are a doll," he smiled exasperated, reaching out to her, "C'mere, I'm just going to fix your hair."

She let him fix her hair, grumbling, "I'm walking back to Stark Tower."

"In those shoes?"

She looked down to her flimsy flats, "I'll go barefoot," she replied stubbornly.

"In New York?"

"Shut up," she growled as he chuckled, "Just don't make me do that again-."

"We have to get home somehow," he told her, taking a step back to examine the whirlwind that probably was her hair. But she didn't care how she looked anymore. She was just glad that she'd made it safe and alive.

But she was definitely never getting on that thing ever again. "Not that -."

"Steve?" a voice came from nowhere.

Steve looked over her shoulder, and smiled broadly, his blue eyes lighting up, "Beth!"

Stephanie turned, and found Beth.

Beth was tall, pretty, with her hair piled up on her head in a cute messy bun and a quickly masked suspicious look on her face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, and Stephanie knew the exact expression on Beth's face.

Jealousy.

Oh snap.

"We're meeting a friend for lunch," Steve moved past Stephanie, to get closer to her, his face completely open and trusting.

"Oh," and Beth stepped away from Steve. Steve was confused.

Stephanie had to clear this up immediately. She took a step forward, and held her hand out to Beth, with the biggest smile she could muster on her face, "You must be Beth. Hi, I'm Stephanie."

"Hi Stephanie." And Beth took her hand out of courtesy, and withdrew it quickly.

Stephanie couldn't think of what to say exactly to alleviate the tension, "It's great to meet you. I've heard so much about you."

Beth's eyes flickered to Steve as she put a hand to her hair to try and make it look neater, "I haven't heard about you."

"Oh, me?" and Stephanie immediately tried to establish that she and Steve had a platonic relationship, permanently. She and Steve both had blonde hair and blue eyes right? "I'm his- sis- cous- _niece_- sort of. I know, we look the same age but-."

Steve cut in awkwardly, "Stephanie she knows."

"Oh, right," and she felt like an idiot, "you were the one that recognized him."

Beth looked to Steve indignantly, "The one?"

"No, not like that," Stephanie scrambled to make it up. Oh she'd just made it worse.

Beth smiled at both of them darkly, her voice holding a bit of bite, "I'll get someone else to serve your table." She nodded at Steve, before turning sharply around and walking away.

"Beth, Beth!" Steve went after her.

"Rats," Stephanie muttered after them guiltily.

"Rats?" a voice entered questioningly.

After yesterday she knew that kid's voice anywhere, "Peter! You came," she turned to him with a smile.

"Yeah, I've been here for like thirty-," he looked for a watch on his wrist, but then looked away, "right so where have you been?"

She cocked her head at him, "Figuring out who you are."

"Yeah I've been doing the same," Peter said, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Oh really?" Stephanie raised her eyebrows and sat down at one of the tables, putting the helmet down on it.

"Yes really," Peter followed her lead, "Though I couldn't find you on Facebook."

"Yeah, it's Steph Haven, not Stephanie," she said, twisting her mouth as she looked down at the metal grate table, the kind that she could stick her fingers through.

"Well that explains everything," he shrugged, "So you went to that Podunk town college?"

"Utah State- yes, and I'm still attending," she said as haughtily as she could, her Aggie pride on. But honestly, he had the better credentials of the two of them, "You went to a much more impressive school. On a full ride scholarship."

He looked impressed, "You really did do your homework. Empire State University graduate-,"

"At the top of your class," she added, running her hand over the helmet. Who got 4.0s? Nobody. Also, it now made sense why he had gone off the grid as Spiderman. It meant he had more time for that beautiful GPA of his.

"Yeah. I'm kind of a genius," he said conceitedly, a smile on his face as he looked away, off into the distance.

Stephanie laughed, plucking at her satchel strap, "I know way too many of those these days."

His head swung back around as he leaned in, "So how _is_ working for Tony Stark?"

She made a face, "I'm not working for Tony Stark I told you."

"Then what are you doing hanging out at Stark Tower," Peter tilted his head at her, his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets, "Don't tell me you're actually a bridesmaid."

"No, I'm not one of those either. Look, I'm nobody, and I'm happy with that. You, on the other hand-," but she cut herself short when a grouchy looking waitress came up to them, chewing gum.

"What can I get for you today?" the waitress asked in between chomps, her accent thick and New York-y.

"Um, just a lemonade," Stephanie smiled politely. Coffee wasn't really her favorite.

"Same," shrugged Peter, leaning back in his chair disinterestedly.

The waitress left, leaving Stephanie half glancing to make sure no one was listening, and Peter, who was staring off distractedly into the distance. She laid the satchel she'd been carrying around on the table, but kept the strap over her shoulder, "Pretty cool design by the way. The webbing."

That caught Peter's attention, his head jerking around to look at her, "What?"

"The webbing?" she looked at him blatantly, before curling up the two middle fingers into her palm, "You know, chhheu, chheu?"

"Really?" he leaned forward with an un-amused expression on his face, "Really?"

She frowned at him, leaning away, "Yeah-."

"With the-the sound effects?" he raised his eyebrows but his eyes were still looking at her as though she were dim.

She gave him a shrewd look, "Hey don't be mad that I figured it out. You were the one who left clues."

"I left clu- I left clues?" he sat back, shaking his head, clapping a hand on the table between them, "What is this, Carmen Sandiego?"

Sarcastic, punk kid. "There was a whole string of webbing you just left of the ceiling in Tony Stark's lab-."

That startled him, "Wait, does he, does Stark know?"

"No, I don't think so," she shook her head, and to the best of her knowledge he didn't know.

But he was panicking, running a hand over his face, and then nervously through his hair, "Geez," he sighed, slumping his shoulders, before he looked back to her sharply, "You can't tell him."

She half smiled. There was no way she was telling Tony anything willingly. "Calm down bug boy, it's -."

"What did you call me?" he snapped, an aggressive sound in his throat.

She blinked, uncertain with this new edge in his voice, "Bug- boy?"

And suddenly he lurched across the table so fast she didn't see his hand move as he grabbed the strap of her satchel and pulled her close.

"Whoa- what-!" she yelled, wide eyed and very close to Peter's livid face.

"You're working for them, aren't you?" he growled.

What was going on? Who was she supposed to be working for? And _what was going on_? "Who?" she asked meekly.

"Don't play dumb," and he twisted the bag roughly until the back of the strap was tight against her skin. His gaze was fiery, fierce and she had absolutely no idea why she would be playing dumb, or what about.

What had flipped his switch? "I'm not-," and she couldn't form coherent sentences, because she couldn't discern what had just happened, and all she knew was that she wanted, "Peter," to, "calm down!"

But he wasn't- he wouldn't, "Stark's in league with Osborn isn't he?" he wasn't making any sense, "Isn't he?" he said more forcibly, half pulling her across the table as he stood up.

She'd never seen more hatred in a look. It was crazed, and she felt entirely too breakable caught in its path.

"N-no they're, like, arch rivals aren't they?" she stammered, trying to think what she could have done.

"What is going on over here?" and Steve's hand caught Peter by the arm, clamping down on it until his grip weakened, and Stephanie was able to pull free. She collapsed into her chair, panicked, as Steve looked at her incredulously, "Seriously I leave you alone for five minutes-," but he had to break off as Peter tried to bolt. He shoved Peter into a seat powerfully enough that he didn't move for a moment, before he tried to get up again. "No, you stay sitting. Stay," he cautioned, holding up a hand, before he looked to Stephanie for an explanation, "What happened?"

She didn't know. He had just freaked out when she had called him bug boy- was that it? Had that flipped the switch? One minute sipping lemonade together, the next offhand name calling meant bruises? She gazed at Peter who was taunt where he sat, ready to flee, but she wanted to communicate that she didn't understand, "I - called him bug boy and he, freaked out."

"Bug boy," Steve repeated in disbelief, "Bug boy?"

Peter had ducked his head, but he spoke darkly, "You're sick," his eyes flashed up to Stephanie, before he shouted, "You're both sick!"

He was almost, deranged.

"I'm sorry, I, won't call you a bug again," and Stephanie couldn't think of anything else to say but, "I mean, I know the difference between arachnids and insects-."

"Why are we talking about arachnids?" Steve interrupted, obviously confused.

"You can both go to hell," Peter spat, "I'll send your boss down to meet you!"

With a leap Peter slammed the heel of his foot into Steve's jaw, which knocked him clean over, caught entirely off guard. Maybe she should have told Steve who Peter was, and then he would have known who he was dealing with.

Steve had effectively toppled two chairs and broken a table with his fall. As he regained his cognizance, anger flared in his blue eyes. Stephanie knelt down to help him up, pulling the chair off of him.

"Steve!" and Beth, darling in her apron, came running. "Steve are you-?"

Steve shook his head, moving fluidly into a crouch. "Which way did he go?"

"The kid went that way?" said some sassy old lady, "He stepped in my lunch before he jumped right over me!"

Steve was off like shot, leaving Beth to slow to a stop next to Stephanie, the pair of them looking after Steve and Peter as one after the other rounded the corner.

Beth panted deflatedly, "What happened?"

"When I know I promise I'll tell you," Stephanie shook her head.

There was no way she was catching up to them with their superhuman abilities, but she was afraid if she didn't find them they would tear each other's heads off. The Captain without his shield also-

On the ground where Steve had fallen, something shiny caught her eye.

She bent, and picked up his motorcycle keys.

Oh no. She wasn't really going to suggest this was she?

She was.

She looked to Beth as she stood, holding them up, "Can you drive?"

"I drove a moped for a few years," Beth said half-heartedly, but there was a determination in Beth's eyes that Stephanie liked.

"Close enough," Stephanie nodded.

"Hey! Your shifts not over for another hour!" shouted the grouchy waitress as Beth mounted the monstrosity. Stephanie shook as she got on.

"Cover for me!" Beth called back, revving the thing to life.

The helmet, where was the helmet! Steve would kill her if she let Beth ride without a-

And they shot off like a rocket, Stephanie doing her best to control a scream.

They lurched before they turned, and then angled too sharply, and then she and Beth were shrieking, before Beth got it under control again and they were zooming past and in between cars to catch up.

What had she been thinking? What had she been thinking?

"Keep an eye out for them!" Beth shouted over the wind.

Right. Look for them. But in order to look for them she had to be able to see, and she couldn't do that with her eyes squeezed shut.

"And can you loosen up? I can't breathe!" Beth asked over her shoulder.

All Stephanie could think in response was to tell her to watch the road, but she didn't say it out loud, and she unlocked herself.

And she saw the foot chase just before they missed the turn-

"That way!" Stephanie shouted and she let go of Beth's waist to point.

Letting go had been a mistake.

Beth pulled a half Uee in the middle of the intersection, and the tires squealed away against the pavement before they blasted forwards. Beth whooped as car horns honked around them.

Stephanie leaned around to spot where the two men had headed, but her elbow clipped the side view mirror of a car, taking it off its hinges before they zoomed by.

"Sorry!" Stephanie called back, and then peered cautiously, craning over Beth's shoulder to see them nearing the guys, pulling close to them- and someone was following them. He was tall- taller than Steve- with long blonde hair- but Peter abruptly turned into an alley and Beth slammed on the breaks.

The motorcycle fishtailed, and bucked Stephanie clean off. She landed on the hood of a taxi, cracking her head against the window shield. The taxi honked deafeningly, blurring her thought process even more, but she staggered off of it, half falling into a crouch before Beth came running up to her.

"Oh my goodness are you ok?" Beth asked, touching her shoulder, "I'm so sorry!"

Stephanie shook her off, trying to think clearly, trying to remember what she had been doing on that stupid motorcycle in the first place, "Don't worry-," she half swallowed, blinking away the fogginess around her vision, "where did they go?"

"This way!" Beth said, standing, and helping Stephanie to her feet generously.

And they were off, pelting down into the darkness of the alley, until they ran into the scene.

"Beth?" Steve sounded surprised, but Stephanie didn't look to see how he greeted Beth, because her eyes were trained on a stranger holding Peter captive.

The man with shoulder length blonde hair and a stubble beard, taller, and more ripped than Steve, which had to be unhealthy, held Peter in a painful head lock. Peter struggled, kicking wildly, more flexibly than anyone naturally should be able to, even gymnasts, and yet the tall man was seemingly have no problem with any of it.

"I have detained him for you, my friend." The man spoke with a half smile, and his voice was so rich, so deep, it caught her completely off guard. One second ago she had tagged him as a wrestling thug, but the way he spoke, he sounded almost regal. And he wasn't panting despite Peter's antics to get free.

Who _was_ this guy?

"Thor!" exclaimed Steve, walking into Stephanie's stunned line of sight, "Wow, it's good to see you!" and he clapped Thor on the shoulder as though he weren't holding a person captive, and they were at a bar, getting drinks together. "What are you doing Earth side?"

This Thor guy smiled, and a softness came over the roughness that seemingly defined him, "I'm here to visit Jane."

Stephanie couldn't help but smile a bit at that. This very large, very muscular guy was smitten. She wondered who this girl was, to have this man's heart. Man might be a loose term though, the way Steve had said 'Earth side.'

But then Peter got her attention, still trying to escape, his head an unnatural red hue as he tugged weakly at Thor's arms, his legs now spazzing instead of attempting to kick.

Stephanie rushed forward, stopping the reunion short, "Hey- hey, um, let him go- Let him go! He can't breathe!"

Thor stared at her uncomprehendingly, but then heels clicked down the alleyway.

Everyone looked up.

Probably the skinniest girl Stephanie had ever seen ran towards them, looking winded and lost and completely out of her depth. As light caught her face Stephanie saw that she was positively breath taking.

This had to be Jane.

"Thor!" she cried, gasping, as she clicked to a stop, "Thor where- oh my go – Thor, let him go, you're killing him!"

He blinked, and then looked down at Peter, who had all but gone limp, "Oh, I'm sorry," and just like that he let Peter go.

Peter Parker sprawled out on the ground in front of them, coughing and spluttering, clutching his throat.

Stephanie knelt down to help him, touching his arm gently as he continued to wheeze, "Peter are you-."

And a fist sent her flying backwards.

In a flash Peter was up on a wall, ten feet in the air, and climbing right up it with more agility than a ninja.

"He's getting away!" Beth called, and handed Steve the lid of a trash can reflexively.

Steve whipped it up, and it cracked into the wall, just above Peter's head, startling him so bad he let go of the wall, and he was falling. Stephanie lurched to her feet to catch him, but suddenly-

A thread spouted from Peter's wrist, and he was swinging away, up onto the rooftop.

"Give me a lift," the Captain asked Thor.

"Of course," and then Steve ran towards Thor full tilt. Thor launched him into the air. Steve went flying, and caught the top of the fire escape. With a clang he landed on handed against it, before he pulled himself over the edge.

A streak of red and blue slammed into the Captain, sending him over the railing just as Thor landed on the brick next to him. How he had gotten there Stephanie hadn't paid attention, but Jane was calling up to him to be careful just as Thor picked up the red and blue spandexed wonder, and flung him to the middle of the street.

Cars slammed into each other to avoid hitting the body, honking, people yelling, causing a tumult of noise as she and Beth swarmed out of the alley and into the sunlight.

She couldn't see the red and blue guy anywhere, and wondered where Peter must have got to- and then something clicked and she felt stupid.

She realized who the spandexed wonder must be, and feeling dumb, she ran for the amazing Spiderman, "Be careful!" she shouted up at Thor angrily who was still on the roof top, running right into traffic that had screeched to a stop where Spiderman had landed.

They were treating him like a criminal when all this was some huge misunderstanding!

"I'm calling for back up," she heard Steve say. He must have dropped to the ground because he sounded like he was right behind her.

"Who, the police?" Beth sounded so naïve Stephanie almost corrected her as she wove her way around the maze of cars, and people stopped to gape at the spectacle.

Stephanie didn't hear the reply over the ruckus that was now the city street as she finally unsnagged her way through the gathering of people who were whispering, "Is that Spiderman?", "No it can't be, he's been dead for four years!", "I heard he got bored and decided to quit when Tony Stark took over", "Yeah well I heard Tony Stark paid him off to quit."

That sounded like Tony.

Now she was kneeling next to Peter, who was fully decked out, mask and all. It was rather impressive, his outfit, and the eyes for the mask were eerie, effective. Good costume design.

She touched his shoulder tentatively with a finger, because her cheek still hurt, but when he didn't wake, she shook his shoulder.

"Who is that girl?", "Does she know him?", "Are they related?"

"Pe- Spiderman," she whispered, ignoring the voices behind her. "Spiderman, you've got to get up."

There was a sound, like the air splitting as a huge ZAP crackled in the sky. Stephanie jerked her head around to see what had happened.

Everyone looked up, some people even shrieked as the lightning landed where Thor had been standing there brazenly moments before.

Thor now held a hammer, and a red cape billowed behind him epically.

Something clicked inside her head that hadn't clicked before- Thor was the Norse God that had been there a year ago, fighting alongside Iron Man, and Captain America. And now he was here, ready for a fight with his game clothes on.

"Spiderman!" she hissed urgently, remembering to use his superhero name, which was weird, since she knew that underneath the kid was scrawny, and a serious punk. She was shaking him hard now, "Wake up!"

Something landed heavily a few feet away, rocking the ground, "Stand aside mortal," commanded Thor.

She froze, biting her lip. This was about to be a disaster.

She stood in front of Peter, "T-Thor," she stuttered, and he started forward. She flung her arms out to protect him. "Wait! He's unconscious!"

Thor's look was determined, his massive jaw set, "We believed him incapacitated before. I will not risk it again."

"Please," Stephanie begged, because there was no way she was saving Peter by force against this muscle of a man, "He's not a bad guy."

"Evil can be deceptive. It can come in all forms," Thor said as he stopped in front of her, twirled his hammer once in his fist as he gazed clean over her and down angrily at Peter, "It can set friend against friend," and his voice lowered in a regretful tone, "brother against brother." His eyes were dark as he said it, and Stephanie wondered- but she didn't have time to wonder just now.

"He's not evil, Thor, listen-," but she was cut short as he tried to maneuver around her, and she stepped to stop him, "_Listen to me_- he's on our side, we don't need to fight him-."

"How do you know, Steph?" Steve cut in, coming up behind Thor as stared at her sternly with a hardness in his blue eyes, "He socked you in the jaw."

Public speech and persuasive writing had never been her forte. Now if she could talk to them one on one while they sat on a couch she could have calmed this all down easily, "Please, you guys, he's not-."

Steve shook his head, "I don't know if I can go your instincts anymore, Steph."

Her eyes were wide, "Just give him a ch-," and then she was swept right off her feet.

With a yell, she watched as the ground slipped away and she was flying, being pulled along as she half fell over a bony shoulder. Vertigo clutched at her, and she had to stop herself from feeling nauseous.

"Peter!" she shouted, clinging to his neck just as he let go and she felt them swing upwards. "Peter you've gotta stop this!"

"You're right I do!" he shouted and suddenly he landed easily and let her go only long enough for her to register she was falling, and then he slammed her into the wall. The breath got knocked out of her, air leaving her lungs, and she panicked, couldn't breathe, couldn't force breathe in.

Mask on, those giant, disconcerting reflective eyes stared at her as he tilted his head, "How did you do it? Did you torture her first, ask her what she knew?" and she couldn't get air in to answer, to ask who she was, to beg for him to stop this madness before the Avengers came down full force. He took a hold of her hair and beat her head against the wall, "She didn't know anything, _anything_!"

Finally she was able to gasp, and she choked out, "Who? Who didn't?"

Spiderman let her go, shoving her away, and she collapsed to the ground, gathering breath in beautiful lungfulls as he shouted, "And then you set her up in an accident. You people, always working the same-." And he was too angry to continue.

Her blonde hair whipped in her face as wind blew, and she realized they must be on a rooftop. Maybe that would keep the others away for long enough to get Peter to listen to reason, to let him explain so she could understand.

Stephanie had a chance, she tried to implore, "I don't know what you're talking-," before Spiderman was in her face again. She cringed away, fear making her curl up, and it made him pause.

"Get off her!" Captain America came hurtling out of nowhere, and slammed into Spiderman. They went over the rooftop together.

"No!"

Stephanie ran to the side to see Spiderman hanging from his fingertips inches on the side of the building, and Steve, at least twenty stories below.

But he hadn't crashed to the ground. He was dangling feet above the sidewalk by two strings of webbing.

Stephanie looked to Spiderman's extended arm, and saw the threads of webbing connecting from his wrist. She smiled at him, hope rising in her. It wasn't a wrong instinct- Peter Parker was a good guy-

"What are you smiling at?" Spiderman asked sarcastically.

"You," she twisted her mouth at him. "You are a good guy."

He let Captain America fall the few more feet to the sidewalk, disconnecting the webbing. "Uh, duh."

She shook her head at him, "Punk."

His head jarred up to her, "Really? You're still going to call me a punk after I just trashed your friends?"

"You didn't trash anybody and -." And suddenly a web shot at her, catching her in the middle. She looked to him, surprised, and then terrified, "No, no you don-."

He tugged on the webbing, and she arched downwards. Like Steve, she stopped several feet from the cement sidewalk, where he deposited her in an unceremonious heap. She groaned, propping herself up on her elbows, and yelled, "PUNK!" up at him.

But he was gone.

And so was Steve.

"Ughh!" and she dropped herself back onto the cement.

She was already exhausted, her face hurt, her head hurt, her tongue hurt where she must've bitten it on accident sometime ago and she was pretty sure she'd chipped a tooth. Not to mention her body aching. All over. Adrenaline had drained out of her now and everything in her was chorusing for her attention to let her know she hurt. She wished it all would shut up so she could think.

That was it. If she was going to hang out with this crowd she was forcing Tony to make her a suit, expose her to gamma radiation or make her a super soldier. At this point it all sounded easier than running after these idiots.

But she had to make sure they didn't beat each other to death.

She moaned as she forced herself to sit up, and realized that she had absolutely no idea where she was, and no idea where they had gone.

How was she going to find them?

She heard a few screams a block or two away, and heard something smashing.

Ok, next question.

Why was Peter so upset?

And who had died? Peter had mentioned somebody dying, a girl. He seemed so sure that they had something to do with her death- a sister? Maybe, but, more likely she was someone he had fallen in love with and had loved, deeply. He believed that they had helped kill her.

If she understood love, and she thought she did she would be willing to murder anyone who killed someone she cared about.

Problem with that- Avengers were survivors, and protectors. This was a fight to some nasty end, and a lot of nasty ends for a lot of people if they got in the way.

She ached as she stood, falling against the side of a building as she tottered sideways.

Both sides of this fight thought that they were right.

But they were both wrong. This was all just a huge misunderstanding.

How to make them see it?

She gritted her teeth, and pushed herself off of the wall.

She made herself walk, and then made herself jog, hobbling lamely down a street that other people were fleeing from in mayhem.

She saw them in the distance, and saw Thor pick up a car, and fling it at Spiderman, who leapt over it, bounced off one of it's open doors, and shoot webbing in Thor's face tauntingly before swinging out of reach of Thor's hammer.

"Peter!" she sighed in exasperation, and picked up her pace. Was Peter really so stupid that he was going to take on the god of thunder?

Steve was herding people back, away, as Thor and Spiderman went at it, Spiderman mostly on the defensive as Thor found new things to throw at him.

Spiderman, amazingly, was dodging it all, even when Thor's hammer soared towards him- and this hammer crashed its way through a building to get back to Thor. And when Thor had sent his hammer out, that's when Spiderman swung in, catching Thor with his webbing and tossing him into a different building, sending him shattering through a glass window.

Steve leapt up out of nowhere, and caught onto Spiderman's current thread he was swinging from. It jarred Spiderman out of his pendulum swing, but he let go of it and landed on the side of a building.

Steve, who had been planning on landing on Spiderman was now falling, and smashed onto the roof of a car.

Stephanie heard Spiderman laugh, and cat call-

Thor's fist slammed through the exact spot where Spiderman was hanging on to the wall, and grab his throat.

Thor bashed Spiderman through the wall, and then flung him back out a moment later. Spiderman flipped mid air, and swung away on a quickly loosed web, gasping.

Now she was close enough that she started shouting, "Wait! Stop! Everyone, please!"

But no one was listening. All they wanted to do was fight-

Steve grabbed hold of Spiderman's waist mid swing.

"Stop!" she cried desperately, slowing as she stared upwards, watching them grapple in the air.

"What did you do now, Angel Face?"

Never in her life had she been so relieved to hear Tony's voice. She turned around as he landed in a fully decked out Iron Man suit a few feet away, "Tony!" she gushed as she rushed up to him, "Tony, you've got to stop this-!"

Iron Man grabbed her by the shoulders, and launched upwards too quickly for her to register to yell.

He landed seconds later, a block away, "Here. Take her." And he pushed her roughly away before he grabbed a familiar blue and red shield from the sidewalk and rocketed off the street, back towards the fight, leaving her back here.

"No! No, Tony listen!" she made to run back, but someone caught her around the middle. She turned, and met bright black eyes. Her stomach knotted, she froze.

But she was in a hurry, she had to go, she had to stop this! She forced herself to blink, to look away, "Bruce, Bruce you have to let me go-!"

"Stephanie," he spoke soothingly, as though she weren't just escaping.

"No, please," she struggled to pull away, planting her hands on his chest to push off, but it didn't help, "I have to fix this!"

He caught her chin and turned it towards him, so that her will melted under his gaze, "What happened to your cheek?" he brushed a thumb along the painful streak that must've been where a bruise was blooming. The pain set her free.

She went back to trying to escape, but his arm around her waist pulled her closer, held her tighter. How could she fight this now? Her defenses were so weak, and now her knees were failing. She pressed her forehead into his chest, "Bruce, this is my fault-."

He craned down, "It's not your fault-."

"But it is!" she cried, looking up into his face fiercely. It was! If it weren't for her this whole misunderstanding wouldn't have happened!

He shook his head softly, "They can handle this themselves."

No! "Bruce! They'll murder each other! You have to let me go!"

"I can't!" he shouted, his forcefulness momentarily stopping her argument short, "I can't, I,-" his head dropped, and she could no longer see into his eyes, "I can't let you go."

"Bruce-." She paused as she tried to reach her fingers to his chin, to his cheek, realizing too late that the gesture was intimate, but the sorrow on his face had grabbed at her so thoroughly that it had been involuntary.

But she couldn't. He was with- and especially not now-.

_Bruce- _

A shout caught her attention, "Come on!" Spiderman yelled, and to her horror she saw they'd formed a triangle around him. "I'll take you all on!"

"What's with the mask?" Iron Man asked sardonically, "It's like very, 60s," he said, but before Spiderman could retaliate Iron Man tossed the red and blue shield to Steve. "Here."

"Thanks," the Captain said, catching it mid air and securing it on his arm, before, "Now who are you working for?"

Spiderman sounded disgusted, "The Avengers on Oscorp's payroll. Who would've thought-."

"Oscorp?" Iron Man asked, incredulous, "Did he just say Oscorp?"

"Yeah I did," sneered Spiderman. Idiot punk kid!

"Yeah," and the mask came down, "I don't like you."

"Tony don't-!" Stephanie shouted, and tried to take advantage of Bruce's lax grip, but he caught her again before she had even escaped.

The shot missed. Spiderman had swung away, "Aw, yeah, bring it!"

But he couldn't dodge all of them.

What could she do?

Bruce tried to grab her attention, "Stephanie-."

"No." And she placed both her hands on the sides of his face, and stared piercingly into Bruce's eyes, past his eyes, and all the way down to the other guy that was resident there. _I'm sorry Bruce,_ she thought, before she shouted, "Hey, Big Guy! I need you!" And she broke the seal that Bruce had made to keep the Hulk at bay in his mind.

She watched Bruce's face contort in horror as he felt the seal he'd created to keep the Hulk at bay snap, "No _wait_-!"

She gave him the most apologetic look she could, and watched his eyes disappear just as she felt herself thrown bodily away.

Stephanie crashed into a trash can, and crumpled.

Before she could even recognize what was going on, the Hulk was roaring towards her, the shirt he'd been wearing shredding into pieces, and she tried to make herself as small as possible as she shrieked, half kicking out in panic.

"Little!" he roared, and picked her up by her leg.

She dangled upside down in front of the Hulk's face as he barred his teeth at her, "I know we have issues- no!" she yelled as he almost threw her down, but he lifted her back up again to growl. She had to yell, "We can fight this out later! You, can- kill me- later! I need you to stop this-!" she pointed at the fight a block away.

"Later," the Hulk repeated.

"Yes- later!" she acknowledged, trying to keep from sounding terrorized.

He had to pause momentarily, and she watched him think about it. He looked at her again, sharply, before he shouted, "Later!" and he tossed her down.

She landed on her hands and knees, and almost toppled head first, but managed to ground herself. Her elbows gritted bone against bone as she locked them in place, frazzling her, and she had to take a few breaths before she heard the roar.

She looked to the scene with a grim smile.

Hulk slammed into the triangle, scattering Spiderman and the Avengers easily.

Stephanie panted a chuckle, before forcing herself up, standing.

She had a mission. A goal.

She had to stop this before it got any more out of hand.

Stephanie's knee where the Hulk had grabbed it jabbed with pain when she put weight on it, so much so she stumbled into the wall, or was it the sidewalk? Her vision was tilting so badly she couldn't keep balance. She forced herself to stand still, locking her joints in place until the vertigo passed. Her head throbbed with the effort of concentrating, but finally when she felt like she could walk straight again, she made herself walk forward.

The Hulk was causing total mayhem, and not even Iron Man could calm him down.

She gasped when the Hulk chucked Thor through a building, one that had been on the verge of collapse anyways, fell into itself.

Before she could freak though, Thor bashed into view, flying right for the Hulk.

"Angel Face," said Iron Man, who swooped into vision before her, and dropped until he was directly in front of her, "What did you do?"

"You leave Spiderman alone!" she shouted, not that she was on a one track mind or anything.

"He's the one that started it!" Iron Man pointed to the Captain and Spiderman duking it out 50 feet away. She watched the Captain tear webbing off his face in anger, before she turned back to Iron Man.

Stephanie jabbed her thumb at herself, "I'm ending it! Get me over there."

"No," Iron Man said angrily, making to grab her by the shoulders, "It's rodeo time."

She stepped backwards, momentarily out of his reach, "I refuse."

Iron Man tilt his metal head at her, "What? I'm sorry, I must not have heard that right-."

"I. Refuse," Stephanie said stubbornly, trying very hard not to sway where she stood, "Until we resolve this with Spiderman."

"You've got to be kidding me," ground out Iron Man.

"I'm not," she told him, dodging when he tried to pick her up again.

"Stay still, I'll get you over there," Iron Man grumbled, before he took her by the shoulders, "You're the real villain here."

"Shut up," she snapped, before she felt the tell-tale lift off of Iron Man, spiraling them around until they landed in front of a taxi cab and her eyes were able to catch up to the action.

Captain America slammed Spiderman into a building, hard, pinning him there-

She ran forward, half tripping when her stupid knee kinked out of place, "Peter! Peter please listen!"

"Tell your friend to get off me!" Spiderman yelled, wriggling to get free to no avail.

"Not- Likely-," the Captain said through gritted teeth, keeping him smashed against the wall.

"Peter," panted Stephanie, touching Captain America's shoulder to let him know that she was there, but kept her eyes locked on Spiderman, "Peter, we're not working for Oscorp, or Osborn, or helping him in anyway, I promise."

"Oh yeah?" countered Spiderman, vengeance anewed, "Then how do you know about Gwen!"

Stephanie shook her head, "Gwen? Gwen who?"

"Gwen Stacy!" shouted Spiderman, kicking out pointlessly.

"The name Stacy rings a bell," Iron Man must have come up behind them, "Oh that's right, he was the top cop for a while or something-."

"Commissioner Stacy!" Spiderman corrected with a growl.

"Yeah," Iron Man sounded like he was reminiscing, "Didn't he die in a freak accident? Oh wait, that one that involved you."

"You don't know _anything_," Spiderman spat.

"Can we get rid of that mask?" Iron Man didn't wait to be answered before he pulled off Spiderman's mask. "It looks like some five-year old designed it."

"Coming from you?" Peter smiled dangerously, "That's rich."

"He's just a kid," Iron Man sounded surprised.

"Damn it, I'm twenty two!" he yelled, sounding very much like a kid as he said it.

This direction of conversation wasn't getting them anywhere.

Stephanie stepped up again, took the reins, "So who is Gwen?" Stephanie wanted to know. Peter looked away from her. "We don't know what we're being accused of. Let us help."

Peter sighed, staring downwards, "Gwen was his daughter. Commissioner Stacy's. Until she was killed," at this he stopped. Stephanie's heart panged. Killed. Killed. She couldn't imagine. "It was made to look like an accident."

"You were in love with her," the Captain was astonished, had let his grip slacken.

"She," and Peter was having a hard time speaking, "She- died two years ago. It wasn't until about four months back that I thought there was foul play. Now I'm sure of it! You're all part of-."

"No!" Stephanie cut him off mid ramble, "Peter, we're not part of Osborn's- ," and for lack of a better word she finished with, "plan."

"Plot would have sounded better," Iron Man quipped.

"Shut up," she replied tersely without looking back to him.

The Captain looked like he was weighing something in his mind. Stephanie opened her mouth to say something, when the Captain cut her off, "Come back to the tower with us. We can explain, compare notes." Stephanie smiled broadly as the Captain warily put Peter back on his own two feet.

And Peter didn't lash out, though he did look at them all defiantly.

Stephanie smiled at him.

Iron Man handed him back his mask, "You'll want this."

"Thanks," Peter said without any real feeling, before he slid it back over his head. "Should we go get that monster now?"

Stephanie scowled at him, "He's not a monster."

As though to prove a point the Hulk roared.

Spiderman tilted his head at her. She could just imagine that smug look on his punk face.

Iron Man spoke up, "Angel Face, I think we do have, _bigger_ problems."

"Angel Face?" Spiderman asked sarcastically.

"Poor Thor," Stephanie bit her lip as she watched the Norse god wrangling with him. She spun on the Captain, "Wait, what happened to Jane and Beth?"

"We left them back there," Captain America replied affirmatively, "We didn't want them getting hurt."

"Oh good," she sighed in relief. She looked to Iron Man.

"Rodeo time," he told her, stepping forward without looking away from the Hulk.

Stephanie hobbled forward, determined eyes locked onto the situation. A pang of guilt washed over her as she watched Thor wrestle the Hulk to the ground momentarily. _Oh Bruce_- but then the Hulk kicked Thor skyward so high she couldn't even make out the red cape anymore. The Hulk lurched upright, and bellowed at the world.

She balled her hands into fists, clearing her mind as much as she could, "I'm ready."

"Be careful, Steph," the Captain cautioned, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Stephanie nodded at him with a half smile.

"Wait, what?" Spiderman ran forward, "You're going to take on _that_?"

"It's the only thing I'm good for," Stephanie shrugged at him. She stepped backwards, away from him with a reassuring smile, "See you in a bit."

Iron Man picked her up under her arms, and she felt them lift off. She waved down to Spiderman, and the Captain, before focusing on her goal ahead of her.

She'd unleashed the Hulk. Now she'd have to put him back.

**A/N: so what did you guys think of the miscommunication? :) Also, what did you think about Stephanie's new discovery about her powers? **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm back! I know it's been ages, but man, this was a harder chapter to write then I thought.**

**THANK YOU! For all the kind messages and reviews! You guys really do make my day brighter! I just don't know what I'd do without y'all. Truly.**

**Anyways, we left Stephanie with Iron Man, and the Hulk… **

**Delve in! ;)**

Chapter 8

Iron Man hovered them above the Hulk, who looked up to growl at them. Stephanie stifled her fear. It wouldn't do her any good now. But swallowing it made it sit and curl in her stomach.

No. She couldn't afford to focus on that now.

She felt one of the metal hands of Iron Man cut into her side and under her arm as he stabilized himself above the Hulk. Stephanie realized he must have lost some of the other metal hand in the fight, because she noticed at least a few fingers and the thumb were skin. She was surprised that the Hulk hadn't torn the whole hand off.

But the Hulk did like Iron Man the most after all.

Speaking of the Hulk, he was tearing apart a car below them and flinging pieces across the block.

He kind of was a two year old, wasn't he? Well, two year olds didn't pull tires off of axels and doors off of their hinges and fling them 150 yards.

"Ready?" Iron Man asked.

The Hulk heard him, looked up at them with a snarl on his green face.

"Ready," Stephanie whispered as the Hulk spread his legs apart, and scrunched down.

The Hulk was going to jump at them.

"You sure Angel?"

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, staring down at the green muscle mass below them. She felt the metal hand let her go.

And then she was falling.

And the Hulk was leaping to meet her.

She snagged her arms around his neck, and felt the tug upwards as the Hulk shot skywards.

To her horror she felt her hands come loose from their knot around him- let out a shriek as she felt herself plummeting, hands skimming over the Hulk, looking for a handhold-

But the Hulk caught her around the middle and Iron Man zoomed out of their way.

She looked up to the Hulk for an explanation.

They were falling again.

They crashed to the ground together, on a semi truck, collapsing it to the ground with the Hulk's huge feet.

Had he just saved her?

But then his putrid breathe was in her face.

"Later now," he growled at her.

_Later_- he would kill her now- but why not let her fall to her death?

Stephanie squeezed her eyes shut as she latched her hands onto the Hulk's finger.

And felt the drain, the remaking of the seal to bring Bruce back.

Before she was thrown bodily.

She felt herself spinning in the air, scrunched herself up when-

She smashed into a car, flipping over it, before slamming into the ground and rolling, feeling all too much like a skipped rock over water.

She was the embodiment of pain.

For a moment she had to remember to control, to pause, to think, to clamp her mouth closed, because for a split second all she felt she could do was burst into pieces.

She had to hold it together.

Her body cried out that it wanted to be done, that it wasn't meant for this sort of abuse, and for a moment she let it cry.

Or was she crying?

She had to swallow several times as blood pulsed in her ears, deafening her, and the world felt like it was tilting sideways. She had to make sure it wasn't.

She opened her eyes to the asphalt, but didn't move.

Exhaustion gripped her like a vice. Her head ached and fear was still making her all too nauseous. She trembled, and noticed that while the aches in her knee had been drained away from her, she had a new agony. The lower left half of her body screamed it's protest so much it churned her stomach. _Probably where I hit the car_, she thought dimly.

She had to give herself space to breathe.

Shaking, she brought her elbows under her, and then managed to curl her right leg under her stomach, but couldn't bring herself to her hands and knees. She was still shaking too much, but she could breathe better.

Maybe she could just allow herself to fade away, or to burn up, or whatever her body wanted to do.

Oblivion sounded so comfortable.

"Stephanie!" the kid- Peter, sounding panicked.

"Steph!" Steve called.

_No need to shout, I just am going to die. Or pass out. Whichever comes first_.

"No- Stephanie!" and she knew then she couldn't pass out then. Not with Bruce calling her name.

The kid came first, skidding to his knees next to her, shaking her,

"Stephanie!"

He flipped her over in one fluid motion, trying to look at her eyes.

"Don't!" Bruce shouted.

She glared up at him, seeing that he'd taken his mask off and his shock of hair was standing on end. She was mad- she'd been happy as a turtle for the moment, and the sun was all too bright in the afternoon sky.

"What?" Peter asked Bruce- he hadn't noticed her glare.

"Her back could be broken," Bruce called, and she expected to see him next, but Steve came barreling into the picture.

"Steph!" he huffed, obviously having run over to find her.

"Hey guys," she smiled at the two of them. "Is he-?"

"He's back to normal," Steve promised.

She sighed in relief, realizing too late it was a stupid question. She'd just heard him yell at Peter. But at least she knew her job was done. Maybe she could black out now.

"Lady warrior!" and it was Thor, landing, and kneeling by her side, and she didn't know how to respond to him, "How do you fair?"

"I- uh." Lady warrior? What was she supposed to do with that?

But he didn't wait for a response, "Such bravery I have not often seen before on Midguard- taking on the giant that had bested all of us before," and the god of thunder was chuckling like it was something more like a game instead of a life and death scenario, "And you so small. It was a sight."

She wasn't quite short- no, she was actually 5"7- so to be called small was weird to her. But then again, he had to be like a foot taller than her.

"Seriously, what was that?" Peter wanted to know, smacking her shoulder to get her attention back.

"Ow," she furrowed her brows at him, but Peter only smiled teasingly. Punk kid.

"Be gentle," and it was Bruce, trying to elbow his way in.

She lifted her hand to him, but Steve pushed it back down, as though she were trying to exert herself too much. That and he hadn't seen who she was reaching for. Bruce frowned at Steve all the same. Stephanie felt like snorting at the silly thought that had just crossed her mind, because Bruce was in love with Betty, so he couldn't be jealous... could he?

"Yeah, everybody back off- we have a doctor in the house," Iron Man said, taking Peter by the shoulder and shoving him backwards. She heard an aggravated HEY! In the background and smiled up at Tony. "How you doing Angel Face?" he asked as the thunder god and the Captain stepped away. She almost felt like she could breathe again with the two massive men out of the way of the sky.

"I think I'll be ok," and she smiled at Bruce, before she felt concern. She had just forced him into becoming the Hulk. "How, are you?"

"I'm fine, I'm- fine," and Bruce smiled back at her, smoothing a hair away from her face. Stephanie was just happy to be in the wake of those kind black eyes. They took the edge off of the pain.

Iron Man's mask lifted to reveal Tony's face, "How did you do that by the way?"

She didn't really understand the question, didn't want to, even.

She looked away from him, shutting her mouth.

"Hey Tony?" Bruce asked, not quite looking over his shoulder.

"Yeah." And Tony was gone from her view- leaving only Bruce with her.

He turned back to her, "How does your back feel?" he asked her, kind concern lacing his voice.

"Fine, my back's fine," she smiled softly, eyes half glazing over. "Um, can you help me sit up?"

"Hold on there," he told her. "No need to be in a rush," and he examined her, his eyes studying, before his brows knit, eyes darkening, "Your left leg?" he touched it lightly.

She winced, "Hurts."

"I can see that," his mouth tugged downwards.

"You can?" she asked nervously, biting her lip.

He didn't take his eyes off of it, "It doesn't look too bad."

"Liar," she told him, twisting her mouth at him. He smiled at her warmly.

The Captain, though she couldn't see him, gave input, "You should change back into the Hulk, let her heal."

Bruce shook his head, "Not a good idea. He's learning to throw her off."

"Well it really doesn't look that bad," and she could almost hear Steve shrugging.

She wanted to look at it, but Bruce gently pushed her down again.

"I'm going to feel for broken bones," he told her, gingerly. And then she felt gentle hands feel their way along her leg, tender as he searched for fractures. She felt herself clamp up, before he said softly, "Just some bruising. And it's fading quickly."

"Woo hoo," she whooped sarcastically, the tiredness taking some of the edge she'd intended on having.

Tony had waltzed back into the picture, "I should've been a doctor-."

Bruce cut him off, "Please- don't finish that statement."

"Right then," Tony clapped his metal hands together, "there's a crowd gathering, and I really don't want to deal with the press right now," he gestured out, "Shall we go home?"

Home- with that nice soft white bed waiting for her where she could sleep for hours and hours with Jarvis to wake her if she was needed but not until then.

Stephanie nodded in fervent agreement. "Yes please."

Trekking back to Stark Tower was a parade.

Iron Man, mask dented from where the Hulk had hit him, one hand disabled and the other of his metal gloves torn off, had to drive with them since he couldn't steadily fly himself home. Steve went back to find his motorcycle, and Beth, and Thor took off, probably off to find Jane, though he told them that he would be back, which Tony grumbled about.

That left a disabled Iron Man suit, a shirtless Bruce, a limping Peter, and an exhausted Stephanie with no way to get back- well, Peter could get back, but Iron Man wanted to keep an eye on him, much to Peter's protest, until he was pacified by Steph.

By then a crowd had appeared, and Peter had to put his mask on again to keep people from taking pictures, and Bruce found shelter with a jacket he pulled up to cover his face. It left them however, very cornered by the news people, who were trying desperately to get shots of them all and ask questions while Tony removed his armor with a click of a button. It almost folded up into a nice, neat suitcase, except- it fell apart to Tony's rather loud anger.

The press was going to have a field day with that.

So to avoid the mob Tony bought a car on the spot from one of the people gawking at them, and then Tony drove them home.

Peter, having found a jacket and a pair of pants to pull over his costume, sat shotgun to Tony's chagrin, but Bruce said he wanted to keep her awake, which he was doing very affectively, having her stretch out, and then using the balled up jacket he'd found and his legs for a pillow. But he wasn't shirtless now. There had been dry cleaning in the back of the car, and it was a little loose, but she'd always liked him in button up shirts.

"Comfortable enough?" Tony looked at her through the rear view mirror.

"Can it, Stark," she snapped as they drove away, all the while Tony mumbling, "what is this an automatic?" and "do poor people really drive these everywhere?"

Bruce played with the end of her hair. He didn't think that she noticed, but she did when he shifted her hair too much, or when there was a gentle tug.

Anxiety about Betty seemed to be uncurling in her stomach. Maybe she did have a chance.

But then again maybe she was imagining that he was playing with her hair, and her emotions were on a freaking roller coaster.

Because, in all honesty?

Stephanie was in shambles.

But she had to hold all of this together, at least until they got back home. At least until they got to her bed. Then she could pass out into oblivion.

When they got back Stephanie moaned when they told her they had to move. Couldn't they just let Bruce and Stephanie stay in the car together? Couldn't they just let her sleep right there, with Bruce playing with the strands of her hair?

"Come on, Angel Face," Peter grinned at her.

"Hey kid," Tony was walking away, wanting to get his Iron Man suit off, "Get your own nick names."

All Stephanie could do was glare.

Peter held his hands up in mock retreat, "Sheesh, no Angel Face. I get it I get it."

As they made their trek upstairs, it was all Stephanie could do to keep standing in the elevator. Bruce had offered to carry her, but she'd openly refused, especially with Tony and Peter in the same elevator. She didn't need any more "comfortable?" comments today.

The minute the door didn't open on her floor she felt like crying, but Bruce must've said something about needing his kit, and how he'd left it-

"What- _happened_?!"

Pepper, followed closely by Natasha, clicked into the room, her shriek enough to make Stephanie wince.

Tony stepped up, "Pepper darling, it's really-."

"Don't you 'Pepper darling' me," she was right in his face, before she looked around him, "Is that, our, our wedding photographer?"

"Hello Ms. Potts," Peter held a hand up, limping to lean on a couch.

"Wha- Tony," she looked up at her fiancé like he was a hopeless case- which was probably very true.

Tony held up a hand, "I can explain-."

"Please do-," she half interrupted, her face stony.

He started valiantly, "So you see-."

But Pepper cut him off again as she spotted something.

"What happened to your face?" she demanded, touching her fingers to the bruise around his eye, concern in her voice at first, but then she added darkly, "What happened?"

"I got- sucker punched by a guy," and when Pepper still had that deadpanned look, he continued, gesturing outwards, "He was much bigger than me, and,- vivid green."

Bruce bent his head, "I'm sorry Pepper."

"I'm sorry _Pepper_?" Tony sounded incredulous, turning to face Bruce, arms out wide in a question, before he gestured to himself, "I'm the one that got punched."

"Tony," Pepper snapped her attention back on him, and Stephanie could see her frazzling at the edges, "Our wedding is- is five days away, and you, and your face."

Tony shrugged it off, "What, it's sexy."

"Oh, oh, bruised faces, _bruised faces_ are, sexy? Now? No, Tony," Pepper shook her head, before pushing buttons on her iPad-ma-jig that always seemed to be connected to an arm of hers, "I'll hire another make up artist-."

"I'm not wearing makeup to my wedding," scoffed Tony.

Pepper's eyes flicked up to him, "Our wedding, Tony," she said, and the look in her eyes was dark and terrifying, "Our. Wedding."

"Stephanie," Bruce caught her by the elbow, and drew her gently aside, before he peered into her face. She hadn't realized she'd been swaying that badly, but she must have.

"Yeah," she looked away, half smiling.

"You brought the- the other guy, out." Oh. This question again. "How?"

She didn't know how to answer, "I don't know," she said in all honesty, "I'm sorry, Bruce. It was, a reflex? I don't even know." Though it had been just as easy, to break the seal as much as bind it back up. He had to be unhappy about that, "I won't do it again," she pledged.

He shook his head, "No, I was just surprised…" he looked away, before looking back to her, "We'll, have to keep that a secret."

"What?" she furrowed her brow. He'd made a mental leap that she hadn't been able to follow.

"If word got out, that you were able to, do that? It," his jaw tightened, his eyes darkening, "Well, let's just say it'd be just as bad, if not worse, for them to know that you can pull him out just as easily as put him back."

"I'd like to talk to him," she said unguardedly. In her tired state she didn't have a filter, and since she had known that the Hulk could speak, could reason, she'd wanted to talk.

Her statement took Bruce by surprise, "What?"

"You know, talk to him," she tried not to sway, tried to concentrate on speaking in full sentences, "Do you think he'd listen?"

He seemed petrified by the idea, "I-," he looked away from her, "wouldn't risk it."

"No but I would," she smiled, and then shook her head at her feet, her hair whirling around her face a little, "Let's face it, I've only got a few more weeks left, if that, until you guys figure out how I work, and then I'll never see you again-."

"No," he shook his head, spreading his feet out as he shifted, before he looked back up at her, "No."

She smiled at him sadly, "You'll be able to go back to a normal life, and I'll be able to go back to a normal life. You don't have to roam different continents, and you can get back to gamma ray study, stuff, and," she swallowed, having to look down before she said it, "back to Betty-." Oh no! No no, no filter meant crazy jealous words were going to be spilling out of her mouth-

"Back- to Betty?" he sounded confused, trying to look into her downcast face, "What are you, talking about-?"

Well, she'd already let the craziness start, why stop it now? "You know, Betty Ross? I have to ask, is her real name Bethany or Elizabeth?"

"Elizabeth-."

"Dang it," she grumbled. No chance then.

"Steph!" it was Steve, jogging into the room, cutting off Stephanie's awkward inquisition, though Tony and Pepper were still going at it, with Peter sniggering at them, "Hey," Steve nodded as he finally stopped in front of them, "Wow you healed fast. Your face-."

"Yeah, it was this guy," she patted Bruce on the shoulder, before removing her hand. Where was the filter, where was the bleeding filter?! "So where's Thor?"

Steve jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, "He's coming in with Jane now."

"Is that where you were?" Stephanie wondered, worried about his anxious expression.

"No," Steve shook his head, looking suddenly downcast, "I got Beth a cab home."

Stephanie's brows knit, "What happened?"

Steve stared at his shoes, "She- lost her job."

"What?" Stephanie was confused.

"She said she would find a new one but," Steve glanced away guiltily, "I'm worried about her."

"I'm, sorry, who is Beth?" Bruce interjected politely.

"His girlfriend," Stephanie said ruefully.

Something lit in Bruce's face.

"Girlfriend?" Tony's voice cut in loudly, interrupting her deciphering of Bruce's expression, "What are we in grade school?"

"Shut up Tony," Stephanie said, a little more harshly now that she was filter-less.

"Speaking of which, I need to talk to you about that little incident," Tony came sidling up to them, leaving Pepper shaking her head after him, focused on Stephanie, "What did you do, pinch him really hard?" and to prove a point he reached over and pinched Bruce, who "ow"ed in indignation.

She frowned at Tony meanly, "No, I-."

"We'll," Bruce put a hand on Tony's shoulder, "Discuss it later."

"What's going on?" Steve wanted to know, leaning over Bruce's shoulder.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with Cap," Tony smiled that big false smile of his.

"There seems to be a party going on over here," Peter had limped his way to them, "What's up?"

"We need to get you a doctor," Stephanie stated, looking to Bruce, who nodded.

"Pfft," Peter shrugged into a smile though wincing a bit, "I'm fine."

She gave him a deadpanned look, "Says the limping kid."

He sighed exasperatedly, "When- are you going to stop calling me kid?"

"When you stop acting like one," she quipped, "Sit down."

"She's quite motherly, isn't she?" Tony said, leaning towards Bruce, "A good quality for future children."

"Shut up, Tony," Stephanie growled, half shoving Peter away to prove that she wasn't motherly.

"Yes," Bruce agreed, "please do."

Before Stephanie made Peter sit however, Natasha stepped up- she had been on a phone call that everyone else had been ignoring, "Mr. Stark, Ms. Potts, Fury is on his way."

"Fury?" Steve stood a little straighter, looking cross.

"Eye Patch?" Stephanie said almost immediately after.

"Who?" Peter's confused expression almost made Stephanie grin, but the thought of Eye Patch coming around- well last time, it'd been an adventure to say the least.

"What is he coming here for?" Tony asked, his tone revealing how unpleasant the idea was to him.

"Damage control," Natasha said evenly.

Tony waved that off like it was nothing, "Just tell him to knock, ok?"

"Knock knock."

It was Fury, striding in boldly followed by what looked like two more agents- or maybe not.

The first definitely was. He was all arm muscle and determined expression, with a crop of sandy hair cut in the military fashion. Definitely an agent.

But the second- she was a slip of a thing, tiny to boot, with short, curly black hair that fell almost to her shoulders, with wide, brown eyes, beautiful, but her look was far less calculating, - maybe not less calculating, because as soon as she entered she seemed to be sizing everyone up, but much less aggressive, surely. She looked far too innocent for that.

"That doesn't-," Tony half-heartedly tried, before he, deflated, ended, "Count."

"What the hell happened out there?" Fury wanted to know angrily. Stephanie cringed away.

"Maybe we should review the concept of knocking," Tony mentioned, but Fury shot him a look that surprisingly shut him up. She'd have to ask if he could teach her that look. Or- she thought when he glanced around at her with that terrifying glare. Maybe not.

"Now, do I have to repeat myself?" Fury demanded, now standing in the middle of the room, "What the hell happened out there?"

"This is Eye Patch?" Peter muttered under his breath.

"Yep," she said, before inhaling deeply. She knew what she had to do now. Because it was only fair. "I'm sorry," she took a step forward, so that Fury paid attention to her, "It was my fault. There was a misunderstanding-."

"A misunderstanding?" Fury was suddenly in her face. "A misunderstanding brought two buildings down and left several others on the verge of collapse?" She felt like shrinking, like falling through the floor, so she wouldn't have to meet that terrifying eye or that frown that was scarier than any other frown on the face of the planet. But then he turned, and suddenly she could breathe again. "By the way, Banner, pack your bags. You're leaving New York."

"No!" Tony and Stephanie said in unison.

Tony was imploring, blocking Bruce from Fury's view. "We haven't finished creating a serum yet-."

Stephanie had found a way around Fury, was holding out her hands, "No it really is my fault-."

"And my wedding isn't until- Friday?" Tony looked to Pepper for affirmation.

"Saturday," Pepper said, and she might have been more deadpanned if it weren't for what was going on. "Is the day of our wedding."

"Please, Mr. Fury," Stephanie vied for Fury's attention, eyes wide, "Just, let him stay."

Fury looked past her to Bruce, "You do realize the General is going to be on your tail."

The general?

"Yes I do," Bruce said solemnly.

"You'd better stay hidden up here. If he catches up to you this time I'm not going to be the one to save your ass," Fury barked.

"I understand."

Fury rounded on Peter now, "You."

"Me?" Peter was startled, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes you," Fury obviously didn't like the almost sarcasm Peter had pulled, "You caused all this havoc?"

Peter pointed at Stephanie, "Hey she started it."

"She called him a bug," Steve spoke up for the first time, standing in an at-ease position, "And he went off his rocker."

Peter narrowed his gaze, "I- I am here you know. You can talk to me instead of about me," Peter pointed out, "And what does 'off his rocker' mean anyways?" he wanted to know, "How old are you?"

That sent Steve to growling, "Son-."

"Ok, boys settle down." It was the small agent, with the black curly hair, stepping up. She pointed to Steve, "You stay where you are. You sit down and let me see your leg," she motioned to Peter- who to Stephanie's awe he followed willingly. … Wait what?

"Moves fast, that one," Stephanie heard Tony acknowledge.

"Tony," Pepper scolded.

Stephanie, by now, had found her way to Steve's side, "Who is she?"

Steve shrugged. He was on edge, physically so. Stephanie made a face, not sure how to ease him out of it.

"What happened?" the short agent asked Peter. Then Stephanie realized- the reason the agent had been sizing everyone up was because she was a doctor!

"There was a wall?" Peter said, his sentence sounding like a question. The agent raised her eyebrows, and he held his hands up in defense. "I swear it hit me first." The doctor agent couldn't seem to help but smile.

Speaking of cute couples, she leaned over to Steve again, "What happened to Thor and Jane?"

"They're probably still in the elevator," and when Stephanie gave him a questioning look, he tried not to smile, "They- got back before me."

"Oh." And then Stephanie realized what he must be meaning. Probably making out down a hall or something. She frowned trying to get the image out of her head, "Weird."

Steve chuckled at her expression, "Yeah."

"She's so tiny," Stephanie gestured with her hands to show how little, "And he's so-," and she threw her hands apart to show Thor's broad shoulder-ness in comparison, "Massive."

"Who?" Bruce interjected.

But before either Stephanie or Steve could explain they were interrupted by Fury, who was gesturing from where he stood with Natasha and the other agent with the big arms.

"Captain, can I have a word?" he asked, but even Stephanie knew it wasn't really a question.

Steve threw her a look, and she nodded her encouragement, hoping that he wasn't about to get yelled at.

It left her, however, alone with Bruce, who had folded his arms as they spectated. She smiled to herself, ducking her head at her ridiculousness- they weren't alone. Tony and Pepper were five feet away whispering to one another. She could hear snatches of Peter's and the doctor's conversation, could definitely hear Fury interrogating Steve. They weren't alone, and she had no filter.

Didn't stop her from speaking though, "I'm glad you're not going yet."

"Me too," he agreed, and she could hear the smile in his voice, as the pair of them continued to look out over the room.

"Who is the General?" she had to ask.

Bruce immediately was sober, "General Ross," she could hear the darkness in his voice, "He and the- other guy, have a history."

"Wait," and she had to know, turning to face him, "Ross as in Betty Ross?"

He didn't look at her, still looking over the crowd, "Yes."

"Oh wow," she said, trying to absorb it, following his lead to people watch, and saw the muscle agent and Natasha edging away from Fury together, close enough to touch each other, but refraining. Instantly she was intrigued, "So what's their story?" she asked leaning towards Bruce, pointing out the couple.

Bruce nodded to the muscle agent, "That's Clint- his nickname is Hawkeye."

Hawkeye? There had to be a story there, right? "Why?" she wondered.

"Well," Bruce shrugged, "He shoots arrows."

She looked up at him to see if he was teasing, "What?"

"Yeah," Bruce smiled at the incredulity in her voice.

"In today's world? He's an archer?" when there were guns? It didn't make sense.

Bruce continued to look at them, "He's got enhanced vision, and he's pretty, pretty spectacular I hear."

Good enough to be on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s advanced team, obviously, "I'd love to see it."

"Yeah," Bruce suddenly sounded disinterested, "And, that's Natasha."

"Natasha Romanoff, I remember her," smiled Stephanie, remembering when Natasha had said something along the lines of _You two were made for each other_. "I like her."

"You do?" Bruce glanced away from them, surprised.

"Yeah," Stephanie met his gaze with a grin. It had been a mistake. Suddenly she was trapped in the dark depths and unable to look away. But she had to look away. She didn't have a filter right now. She could just see herself kis- She broke their eye contact, looking to Natasha and the agent Clint again as he made a coughing sound in his throat. She folded her arms around herself so her hands wouldn't do anything stupid, asking disjointedly, "Does she have a nickname too?"

"Black Widow," Bruce said simply.

"Oh."

She could hear him half smiling again, felt him shift next to her, folding his arms again, "Yeah, yeah I know."

"So, what happens to people she really does love?" Stephanie wondered, watching Natasha whisper to Clint without looking at one another, and saw Clint smile quietly.

Bruce sounded perturbed, "I don't know if she, does, love?"

How could he say that? "She totally does."

Bruce shook his head next to her, "H-how can you tell?"

"Do you see how close she stands to him?" she pointed, smiling slightly, "And the fact that she's whispering in his ear. And he's smiling at her, and even though his arms are folded and he looks so aloof, he still is interested, very interested. They're obviously in love." And it took her a moment to realize that he had stopped looking at them, and was watching her. She turned to meet his gaze with a small smile and a shrug. "It's harder to see, but it's there. I promise."

He looked at his feet with a grin, before looking up to her again, still shaking his head, "Is, this more psychology at work?"

Stephanie grinned, shrugging away, "More like old Chinese woman match-maker, or something."

Bruce laughed quietly, making Stephanie smile all the more broadly, "Yeah, yeah-."

"So you think she looks like an old Chinese woman?"

Stephanie opened her mouth as Bruce's face dropped.

"Tony-," Pepper scolded.

Tony held up his hands, with a Its-Not-My-Fault expression on his face, "Sorry, sorry, just ignore me." Pepper tugged him away.

Stephanie turned back to face Bruce, rigged now, and annoyed, "I really can't stand him sometimes."

"I noticed," and Bruce almost sounded like he agreed, "I-I still can't believe you slapped him."

"Me either," Stephanie bit her lip guiltily, but she could hear Bruce chuckling.

"Miss Haven," a voice said that made her throat close.

Eyes wide, she rotated around to see Eye Patch staring her in the face, "Eye- Er, Mr.? Fury, sir?"

"You had a hand in this?" Fury tilted his head at her, looking angry, "In more ways than one?"

Stephanie had lost her thoughts in that terrifying glare, "Well, sir, I did call him Bug Boy, and that's when is all went berserk."

"I've heard," Fury acknowledged, his voice thick and searing, "And you initiated the contact between yourself and Mr. Parker. And, apparently, you can make Dr. Banner here Hulk out as well as put him away? Do you realize that by doing that the Hulk collapsed buildings? Buildings, Miss Haven?"

Buildings. People lived in those buildings. And cars, those cars that had been smashed, and crashed. Beth had lost her job. And it was all Stephanie's fault. "I'm, sorry," she hung her head, horrified at what she'd done, and her head was pounding too much to know the whole gravity of it. All the people, damaged by her action…

"Sorry isn't going to put the city back together, is it?" Fury growled.

"No," she shook her head, biting her lip, "No it's not."

Bruce stepped up, sideways, almost in between her and, "Fury."

Fury stood straighter, holding up a hand, "Calm down Dr. Banner, I didn't come here to pick on Miss Haven here."

"I know I can't repay for the damage," Stephanie said suddenly, peering over Bruce's shoulder, "But I'll volunteer, help with the clean up and the rebuilding- I know it's not much but-."

"Right now, Miss Haven, we need you to stay here, and stay safe," Fury cut her off, but he seemed to regard her with less contempt as she spoke.

She shook her head at the word safe. And here came the no filter, words spewing out of her mouth because curiosity was at this moment, her middle name, "If- if I could ask, sir," she wondered aloud, looking around Bruce, "why wasn't Spider- Peter, included in the Avengers?"

It was a legitimate question. Spiderman was competent enough to keep three of the Avengers at bay, even though he was rusty.

Fury tilted his head at her, before he stepped back so they could all see Peter and the doctor smiling together, "He was considered too volatile at the time. His girlfriend had just died, and he was in a dark place."

"I guess that makes sense," Stephanie nodded, her eyes trailing over Peter and the doctor with endearance, before looking back to Fury, "But, he can be part of it now, can't he?"

"That isn't up to me," Fury shook his head, before looking to Steve, who had joined Natasha and Clint in their conversation, "That's up to the Cap."

"Who is she?" Bruce wanted to know, gesturing towards the doctor agent with Peter.

"That is Asa Liretto," and he spoke in a much louder voice, grabbing everyone's attention, "She's going to be this team's doctor from now on," and Stephanie saw the surprise on the doctor's face, watched as Peter looked to her while she wasn't paying attention, "If you all keep playing rough, we'll have to keep you up in tip top shape," he explained, before adding, "And I'm instating her here at Stark Tower."

"Wait, what?" the doctor Asa sounded almost confused, her dark eyes wide.

"Who?" Tony shook his head, probably only catching the last sentence since it was the only one that had had his name in it.

Fury stepped into the middle of the room, "Since half of you are living here anyways, I'm declaring this the official head quarters for the Avengers."

"But you can't do that," Tony inserted, his eyes narrowing as he pointed to the ground, "See, this is my house-."

"Tower," amended Fury nonchalantly, eyebrows raised.

It made Tony pause, before he shook it off, "-Whatever. And so you can't just say what this place is."

"It's head quarters," Fury stated plainly, as if there were no argument involved whatsoever.

Tony was obviously aggravated by Fury's tone, "No,-."

"I thought you would want to be in control of this," Fury interrupted, stepping closer to Tony. "What better way than to own head quarters?"

_That_ threw Tony for a loop, "Y-yeah- but- I mean and."

"We would love to have you all come and stay here," Pepper smiled, not helping Tony regain his thought process at all.

"What?" he snapped at her.

But Pepper, kind and bright as she was, was not at all phased, still addressing the group, "Whenever you need a home you all are free to stay."

"But it's not your tower."

Pepper turned on him, smile intact but her eyes suddenly dangerous, "It's 12% my tower."

Tony groaned, "You've got to be-."

Pepper was back to crowd pleasing, "You can live in my 12%."

"And when you get married, won't it be a 100%?" Natasha said evenly, before smiling quietly to herself.

"It's true. We are sharing all assets," Pepper grinned, looking to Tony, "So we are going to be perfectly equal."

"We are?" Tony's brow furrowed momentarily, but Pepper's eyes flashed, "Oh that's right. We are." Tony moved away from her, towards the middle, clapping his hands together and spreading them out wide, "So, welcome to head quarters everyone."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. He said it like it had been his idea from the start.

Fury was annoyed too, but he moved on, "Now that that's settled, Romanoff, Barton, you will be this team's handlers."

"Handlers?" Tony's attention was immediately snagged again.

Were they really going to keep this up? It was giving her the worst of headaches. She had to swallow hard to keep concentration.

"This should be interesting," Bruce whispered to her.

"Yeah," she agreed, trying not to sound annoyed, "Yeah it should."

The world was doing that thing where she was suddenly not obeying gravity, her head felt like it was floating, but the rest of her felt like it was jelly. Not now. She'd been so in control of it- she hadn't even gotten a nosebleed.

"Stephanie," Bruce sounded worried, "Are you alright?"

Alright. Hm. Maybe, "I think. I think I need to sit down," but she wasn't sure she said the words aloud.

And there was the doctor, Asa, short, her dark eyes wide, searching for signals, signs, smacking Bruce's hand away from her face.

"Come on," Bruce murmured, stepping up to hold her as she began to slump backwards, "Stephanie-."

"I'm- I'm sorry," she shook her head, trying to get rid of the buzzing in her ears, "I can't-."

"Don't worry about it," he told her, his voice falsely calm, "Stephanie? You have to stay conscious until we can get you to bed."

"Alright."

But the next thing she knew was blackness.

"Stephanie," whispered a voice. A voice worth listening to in the blanket of warm unconsciousness.

"Mmm?" she mumbled to the darkness.

"You awake?" the voice worth waking up for sounded worried.

"That depends," she said tiredly, curling up closer to the warmth.

"Depends on what?" the voice was teasing. She could hear his smile.

"On who-," and then she paused. Realized. Felt herself shifting from side to side, "H-how- oh!" and her eyes opened to reveal herself in Bruce's arms. Horrified, blushing to the roots, she looked up to him, not sure whether to squirm or stay still, "What happened?"

"You passed out," he said simply as he began to walk- out of an elevator she realized, onto her floor.

Stephanie was shaking, nervous, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean-."

"It's alright," he cut her off with a small smile.

She shook her head, "You can put me down, I can walk-,"

"I've got you," he told her softly, entering her room smoothly, "Just wait for a moment. We're almost there."

Her face burned with shame, "I'm sorry."

"There's no, reason for you to be sorry," he told her, "You've been through a lot today," he was trying to look her in the eyes but she was too embarrassed to, "Jarvis, could you?"

"Of course Dr. Banner." And the lights came on, dim, but enough so that they could see.

"Thanks," Bruce said to the ceiling with a smile.

"You're welcome, Dr. Banner," Jarvis replied cordially.

Stephanie couldn't help but smile, smile drowsily, but smile nonetheless. The unconsciousness sounded good again, and the embarrassment had passed, and now she just wanted to slip back into it.

He stopped, "I'm putting you down now."

"K," Stephanie acknowledged, and felt him lower her gently onto the wonderful, fluffy bed that she'd wanted to jump into since she'd gotten home.

"Stephanie?" Bruce said as she snuggled up under the blankets.

"Yes?" she blinked at him as he took the seat next to her bed.

"Are you?" but he stopped his question, looking down before looking back up, but not at her, "Are you angr-, mad about, about being here?"

Mad? About being hom- at the Tower? "N,no. No I'm not."

"The," Bruce sighed, his eyes flickering from her face after he had listened to her answer, "The first few days, you were," he turned his face away, "It seemed liked you were," he paused, before pushing forward, "As though you were, happy here."

"I-," and Stephanie looked away from him, to say in wonder, "I think I am."

His voice lit up, "You are? As in, present tense?"

"Mhmm," she smiled at him, tiredly, "I am."

"Really? With everything going on I would have thought-," he stopped himself short.

"No, really. I mean, though it has only been a week but…" she shrugged, "But I really, really like it here," she looked away from him wistfully, "I'll hate it, when I have to go back."

Bruce frowned at her, "Back?"

"To real life," she half chuckled, "Like you will. When we figure out how my blood chemical thingy works."

"I don't think," he looked away before he finished, "You can ever go back, Stephanie."

She was confused, "Why?"

"Because," and he sounded almost exasperated, almost… desperate? No, her head must've been spinning way too fast, "you- you and- we're…" he stopped himself before he added with a bit of a smile, "And I don't care who you are, once you've worked alongside Tony and Steve, there's no going back."

Stephanie laughed too, "I need, to invent mind bleach, or something, to get Tony out of my head…" But she was fading fast. She could barely form a coherent sentence.

Bruce sat back, "I'm sorry. You need sleep."

"Hey Bruce?" she asked as he reached for a book on the bedside table, "I'm sorry, I've been, ma-, angry. I didn't mean, to,-."

"No," Bruce shook his head, "No, that's not-."

"But I have been," filter. She couldn't say that she'd been jealous. Consciously, she changed her sentence, "I- I guess it's because I was just getting used to everything that was going on, and that you-." _That you are in love with Betty_. But she couldn't say that out loud. She couldn't say it to him. She looked away, sadly, "Well, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he shook his head, looking down into his lap, "There's, nothing to apologize for."

"He-Hey, Bruce?" and she was having trouble forming a coherent sentence, "I think I'm-." _going to pass out_, but she didn't have to say it. He understood.

"You're, allowed to, now," he smiled at her, his kind dark eyes her whole world at the moment.

"Thanks…" she smiled back, but it was far away, and hard to distinguish on her face, but she couldn't sink, just yet. She didn't want him to feel, obligated, "You- don't have to-," even though she wanted him to, "stay."

"Go to sleep, Stephanie," his voice was as hushing as a lullaby, and she lost herself to the very welcome blackness, "I'll be here."

**A/N: Um, ok, who liked this chapter because I did! Haha, the next chapter we'll be sorting things out a bit... Also a wedding is coming up. Just saying.**

**Anyone who wants to know who Asa Liretto is, go look up her story! It's Of Finding a Doctor, by InfinityLessThree- it's a really good read I promise! :D**


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: … SO!

Hi, from the beyond. I know it took me forever to post this, but I hope you guys don't hate me too much!

This is a lot of fluff, and such, and I hope y'all like it. :D Thank you guys so much for all of your support!

Chapter 9

The morning was peaceful. Waking restfully, Stephanie drifted into consciousness. There was warmth next to her, a familiar warmth, and heat radiating over her hand.

Blinking, she stared at her hand for a moment, and recognized joyfully that her hand was under someone else's. Someone who had fallen asleep in a chair again, with his dark hair curling at the fringes. His hand was calloused, not roughly so, and his fingers had almost laced through hers, and she couldn't help but think that their hands fit, his large, wide palmed, hers smaller, and her fingers looking like they could hook right between his almost like a glove.

But- she shouldn't think that. He- he was Betty's, right?

For now though, couldn't she have this moment?

She heard the door open, heard footsteps. She looked up, confused.

The short, dark haired doctor- Asa, had come into the room.

Feeling entirely exposed, Stephanie withdrew her hand, "Oh!"

Bruce jerked upright, suddenly wide awake.

"Morning, you two," Asa said with a smile as she crossed to the other side of the bed, "And how are you feeling this morning?"

_Jealous, uncertain, but happy. Oh wait, wrong thing to say_. She sat up a little straighter, "Better thanks," she proffered with a bleary smile, "I was just tired, you know, after everything." She looked down into her hands, the one he'd been holding warmer than the other.

"It probably has something to do with the healing. We should look into that," he said, pulling his glasses off the table. Stephanie looked to him, watched as he ran a hand through his hair, making more of a mess of it. She almost smiled as he continued, "Probably has something to do with…," but he trailed off distractedly.

"Healing?" Asa asked, concerned, hands on hips, "Was she injured?"

"Well," Stephanie glanced sideways at Bruce, "Yeah, I hurt my leg, and maybe hit my head too."

Asa didn't like the sound of that it seemed. She pursed her lips, "She was hurt and nobody told me?"

Bruce shrugged sheepishly, "The – other guy, healed her," he quickly looked at Stephanie, as though scanning her to make sure it was true, "He… Has that effect. Just on Stephanie though."

"The – other, guy?" Asa sounded confused.

Bruce looked as though he were mustering up the courage, but ashamed, turned it into a cough instead.

Stephanie answered, "Do you remember a while ago, when that thing in Manhattan was all over TV, with the Avengers?"

Asa nodded, eyes flickering to Bruce warily.

"Remember- the big green one?" Stephanie proffered with a smile.

"Oh yeah!" Asa nodded, and then registered, "Wait really?" she asked Bruce, big dark eyes wide.

"It, was a combination of genetic mutation and gamma radiation," Bruce looked sideways, "I'm not exactly the- safest, person to be around when I'm upset."

"Huh," Asa sounded thoughtful, "Ok, so you're the Incredible Hulk. What does that have to do with Stephanie?" she gestured to her.

Bruce cleared his throat again, "Stephanie seems to have a remarkable effect on me," he smiled wryly, and Stephanie couldn't help but grin at him, "And the Other Guy. She can control him, communicate with him. We're not sure why yet. We're, working on it," he looked to Stephanie, and she realized too late that she was still wearing that goofy grin at his first sentence. She quickly dropped it. "The flipside, though, is that direct contact with the Other Guy seems to have a healing effect."

"But how does that work?" Asa wanted to know.

"Again, we're not sure," Bruce shrugged, "My guess is, when we know how her power works, we'll be able to figure it out. For every action, kind of thing."

"Well I want to be kept updated," Asa stated, "That's the kind of thing I need to know. Well, Stephanie, as far as I can tell, you're fine. Do you think you can eat?"

Stephanie smiled, "Absolutely."

Asa smiled back, "Great. Steve's making omelets," she gestured to the door, "Shall we?"

Stephanie looked to Bruce, who had looked to her in the same moment, and when they both smiled at the same time, Stephanie had to look away. He got up from his chair, and offered her a gentlemanly hand. She took it, and with his help managed her way out of bed.

Bruce stopped outside of the door, and Stephanie paused, looking to him. "I'm- going to go change," he told her.

Stephanie blinked, confused.

"I don't want any," he looked sideways, "remarks."

"Oh." And then she remembered how loud Tony got. "Right."

"Meet you down there," he nodded to her with a half smile.

Stephanie followed Asa to breakfast, where Steve really was making omelets.

"I didn't know you cooked," Stephanie smiled, sliding up into a barstool as he flipped one into being.

"I'm probably the best cook here," he said sardonically, watching Thor wait impatiently for food, and Pepper and Tony argue. One of the teams new handlers, the one nicknamed Hawkeye, was shooting napkin paper airplanes at Thor's back. Stephanie grinned, and looked back to Steve, who added, "Present company excluded of course."

"Oh my gosh, no. I'm a terrible cook," she told him hands up, "But, I do make a mean chocolate chip cookie if I do say so myself."

Steve smiled, "I'll have to try one sometime."

"Yeah," Stephanie smiled, glancing to the door, hoping Bruce would walk through it. "How is Beth?"

"I haven't seen her," Steve said, morose. Oops. Wrong topic to bring up. Before she could back track, he asked, "How was Bruce this morning?"

Stephanie blinked, "What?"

"He didn't head to his own bed last night," Steve said, trying to keep a poker face by staring at the frying pan.

Mercifully Tony was being occupied by Asa.

Steve looked up to see Stephanie's baffled face, and then realized what he'd said, "Oh- no, no, I didn't mean that you two had- that there had been any, fondue-ing, or anything- I just-."

"Nothing happened," Stephanie told him mournfully, head in her hand, "He's in love with Betty, remember?"

"Steph-."

"That's right, that webhead is still in my tower," Tony's loud voice cut across Steve, "Why did we bring him back in the first place?"

"He has intell on the jet pack criminal," Clint spoke up, looking away as his last napkin airplane hit Thor square in the head.

"Speaking of which, Stark, the criminal woke up yesterday" Natasha said from where she was lounging, "They've determined he's coherent enough for questioning."

"Sweet," Tony rubbed his hands together, "I know what I'm doing today."

Natasha shook her head, "The police also said that there would be no interference from Stark in this case."

"Na- no interference from St- he attacked _my tower_," Tony stuttered indignantly.

Natasha shrugged, "And you're not on the police force, thus not permitted to interrogate in this case."

"That's ridiculous! Aren't I allowed to choose how I want to press charges or whatever?" Tony declared, before rounding on her again, "And why wasn't I informed of this earlier?"

Natasha shrugged nonchalantly, and yet she was so pretty while she did it, "You were fighting Parker."

"Not all day-."

Pepper interjected, "You were recharging your batteries last night, remember?"

Tony wheeled round non objectively, pausing to remember, "Right," he looked perturbed with himself. "Sleep. Weird."

"I think that was actually the first time you slept a full eight hours," Pepper smiled sarcastically up at him from her perch on a barstool, "Ever."

"Waste of time," Tony stated, before turning to Pepper, who had been typing away on her iPad.

Stephanie looked to Steve with a smile, who rolled his eyes, and offered her an omelet on a plate. She took it with a "Thank you," when Bruce walked in, studying a few pieces of paper so well he almost knocked into Asa, who was carrying plates to the sink. Stephanie straightened up.

"Here," she offered him the omelet with a smile.

"Oh, thanks," he took it and started on it, still reading the scattered pages intently.

She smiled softly at him, before watching Clint step between Asa doing the dishes and Steve, who wasn't happy that Asa was doing his dishes.

She laughed when Steve finally turned back to face her grumpily. "She wants to help."

"She didn't make the mess," he grumbled.

Stephanie shook her head, "Don't worry about it."

"Did you know Peter Parker graduated at the top of his class? He's apparently a brilliant scientist," Bruce said to both of them, reading the papers to them.

"So they're giving that title out to anyone these days," Tony stepped in, looking over Bruce's shoulder.

"What, scientist?" Steve asked.

"No, brilliant."

Stephanie rolled her eyes with a smile and shake of her head.

Bruce continued, "He's bright, worked with Dr. Conners in high school at Oscorp."

Tony pulled away from the conversation with a, "That's disgusting."

Bruce turned to him with a mouthful of omelet, "You know that Oscorp has one of the most proficient science departments-."

"You know that Norman Osbourne is a fraud, right?" Natasha inserted, "And has a criminal record?"

"Not to mention a creep," Pepper muttered with a shiver.

Tony looked to Pepper with protective unease. Stephanie smiled outright.

Steve seemed to be thinking, "Parker seemed to know a lot about Oscorp."

"He did work there for several years," Bruce pointed out.

"Who is this Oscorp? A villain?" Thor wanted to know.

"I say we call a meeting to order," Steve declared, grabbing everyone's attention.

"A meeting?" Tony shot a look to the door, as though he were going to bolt.

Steve nodded, affirmative, "We need to decide whether or not we trust Parker enough to include him in this investigation."

Stephanie was confused, "Aren't you guys going to make him apart of the Avengers?"

"Whoa whoa whoa," Tony straightened up, "A team member? Are you-."

"An excellent idea!" Thor exclaimed, thumping the island, "He is a valiant fighter, one I would want to include when facing foes."

"We don't even know him," Natasha pointed out.

"He's a man of courage," Thor proclaimed truthfully, and Stephanie noticed as his regal prowess showing through, "He stood up to three of us without hesitation. I see that as something to be admired. I do not know many who would attempt such a feat. I approve of him."

"So I think we have Thor's vote," Steve noted.

Natasha leaned forward in her seat, "Thor wouldn't have to deal with him. He doesn't even live on this planet."

Steve shook his head, "He's still a part of the team. We've got one vote for."

"For?" Tony pushed himself into the middle, pacing, "For what? I don't think we've established what for is."

"For Parker joining the team," Steve restated, controlling the exasperation in his voice masterfully. Stephanie would've just let it out. She guessed that was why he was the captain.

"This can't seriously be in question, can it?" Tony wanted to know.

Steve moved on, "Agent Romanoff, what do you think of it?"

"I don't think we can trust him," Natasha said, sitting back and folding her arms, "He was the reason you all tore down half of New York. Again."

Stephanie thought that was a little harsh. She'd helped tear down New York at least once.

"I thought we established that was Angel Face's fault," Tony said obnoxiously. Stephanie scowled at him.

"Who is this Angel Face?" Thor wonder aloud, "I've heard speak of them before."

Stephanie was not about to own up to that nickname, but Asa was looking as confused as Thor was. She felt like she would explain it to her, later. Without Tony present.

Natasha got them back on topic, "Spiderman was the one who initiated the fight."

"Wait what?" Asa was obviously confused, "Why are we talking about Spiderman?"

It clicked in Stephanie's head- Asa didn't know that Peter Parker was Spiderman.

"Didn't you read her in?" Tony grumbled, and then turned, looking at everyone, "Why has nobody explained this to her yet?"

"Peter Parker is Spiderman," Stephanie stated plainly.

"Oh." Asa seemed to internalize it, before nodding to her, "Good to know."

"Moving on," Steve asserted, "One for, one against. Agent Barton?"

"I think he proved he was a straight shot yesterday," Clint said, arms folded, face stern. Was this really the guy that had been making napkin paper airplanes earlier? "But we don't know him well enough yet."

"So- I'm going to say you're on the fence?" Steve waited for an affirmative nod, before moving on, "Dr. Banner?"

"He seems intelligent. He was able to sneak around Stark tower without immediate detection, and developed his own webbing," Bruce pointedly didn't look at Tony as he was being glared at, "per say."

"I'm counting that as a for. Two for, one against-," Steve kept the tally aloud.

"Two against!" Tony insisted.

Steve rolled his eyes, recounting, "Two against, and one on the fence. Steph?"

"Since when are we including the peanut gallery?"

"I think you know my vote," Stephanie said, feeling like the peanut gallery was going to smack him silly if he didn't shut up and sit down.

"Three for, then. Dr. Liretto?" Steve asked the Doctor politely.

"Um, does my vote count?" Asa blinked her surprise, "Sure, yeah, I'm for it."

"Four for. Pepper?"

"Ok, hold up," Tony held up his hands, before asking the room, "We can't be serious."

"Why can we not?" Thor's stern face was confused.

"Because in case you got forgot, he basically destroyed lower Manhattan yesterday."

Bruce spoke up, "I think I should take the blame for that really-."

Tony cut him off without even looking at him, "None of your pity party right now, it was his fault and we all know it."

"I like him," Pepper said to Steve, continuing on with the vote.

"What?" Tony looked at her incredulously.

Pepper continued on, listing things, "He's polite, and he's sharp. You could use a bit of politeness on this team." Pepper looked pointedly at her fiancé. Asa looked like she was going to laugh.

"And that makes five votes for," Steve listed.

"You've got to be kidding!" Tony was furious, "This kid swings around like Tarzan for -."

Steve interrupted him smoothly, slicing his hand to silence him, "Before you totally blow your top, Stark, and since this all wasn't a unanimous agreement, we should put Parker on a probationary period," he waited for everyone to consider it before he continued, "That way we can get to know him before we trust our lives with him."

"I second that." Clint had said that. Stephanie approved of this guy.

"Alright," Natasha settled back into her seat comfortably.

"It's an agreement then," Thor stated matter-of-factly.

Stephanie smiled. It was final, then.

"Wait, wait, wait."

Steve was finally showing his impatience, "Stark, this is fair." Steve

"How is this fair?" Tony demanded, "He's a freaking teenager."

"He's twenty two," Stephanie barely contained the anger in his voice.

Tony rounded on her, "Explain to me again why you're defending him?"

Stephanie shrugged, "I just think he's a good kid."

Tony narrowed his eyes at her, shaking his head in disbelief, "Didn't he punch you in the face?"

"Wah- what happened?" Bruce looked to her, horrified.

"He didn't mean to-," Stephanie said quickly.

"How could he not mean to?" Tony wondered incredulously.

"On a side note," Pepper stepped forward, cutting her off. Stephanie couldn't meet Bruce's gaze, "I would like to invite you all to our wedding this weekend."

"What?" Tony looked like he had whiplash, "You- to my wedding-."

"_Our _wedding." Pepper added in a quieter voice, "It was the only way to get you to stop arguing."

"I would be delighted to come," Thor grinned.

"Thank you Thor," Pepper smiled kindly at him.

Tony turned around so that way his back was to everyone, before asking Pepper, "You're really inviting Goldilocks?"

Pepper's smile broadened dangerously, "And bring Jane. I'm sorry she couldn't stay yesterday."

"Thank you, Ms. Potts, it is very kind of you," Thor nodded at her, a king accept a gracious offer.

"Excellent," Pepper nodded, and then added, "Also, for the time being, could we try and avoid confrontation?"

"Confrontation?"

"No fighting, or investigating- or at least if you do, please don't include Tony," Pepper smiled up at him, "I would rather him be in one piece for the wedding photos."

"That's alright, Pepper," Bruce stopped Tony before he started, "We've got a serum to work on."

"Oh that's right," Tony said thoughtfully, rubbing his close shaved goatee, before clapping his hands together, and motioning towards the door. Bruce stood up, pulling a face at Stephanie that made her giggle, before following Tony.

Jarvis interjected, "Miss Asa, Mr. Parker has-."

Asa was already on her feet, "I'm on my way."

Thor spoke up again, "Thank you for this meal, but I'm afraid I shall have to bid thee all ado for the time being," he smiled very slightly, but with enough light that it made Stephanie smile with him, and then explained, "Jane is waiting for me."

"And Pepper," Natasha added as Thor stood up, "We have a wedding dress fitting in ten minutes."

"Right," Pepper said with an affirmative nod.

"So meeting adjourned?" Steve said as everyone dispersed, leaving Stephanie and Clint- nope. Clint had disappeared along with the rest of them.

"Good job, Cap," Stephanie smiled at him, twirling in her seat to look at him.

"Thanks," Steve sighed, suddenly exhausted.

Stephanie made a face at him, "You should go see Beth."

"But," he looked at the room, and the few undone dishes.

"I got it," she told him cheerfully, standing, and coming around the island to shoo him away. "Go see Beth," she told him, looking up into his torn face, "She needs you."

"Thanks Steph," he told her, ruffling her hair, before half jogging out of the room.

Stephanie smoothed her hair back with first a sarcastic, which became a fond look, before turned to her task. It would figure superheroes would make a super mess.

But at least, she thought as she started working on the dishes, Peter was now part of the team. Probationarily of course but still.

The afternoon came and went slowly. No one came back around for lunch. Stephanie sat at a bar stool alone, having been on her lap top for an age, and finally having convinced Jarvis to let her send an email to her mom, explaining all that she was allowed to explain, and having Jarvis edit. A million times. Until all she had was three sentences.

_Dear Mom,_

_ I am well and safe where I am. I just wanted to let you know. I love you very much. _

_ Stephanie_

"Can I send it now?"

"Do you promise that there is not a secret code, Miss Steph?"

"How could there be a -," she stopped herself, and then answered cordially, "No, Jarvis, there isn't."

"I have your solemn oath, Miss Steph?"

"You have my solemn oath." Her fingers ached to hit the send button- the mouse on her computer was hovering right over it.

"Well, then," Jarvis still sounded hesitant. She wanted to yell at him, tell him people contacted their families in real life, to make sure that everything was going well for them, but she knew he wouldn't understand. Neither Pepper nor Tony appeared to have family, and Steve definitely didn't. In fact, none of the Avengers- well, Thor, but his family was on a different planet- and she stopped to think. Did Bruce have family?

"Miss Steph, I said you may go ahead and send the email."

Stephanie blinked at the screen. "Oh, right." She hit the send button.

Sending… Sending… Sent.

Success!

She slouched with a smile of relief, before sliding off of the bar stool with a hum. She was going to make herself lunch, if nobody was going to join her.

She kind of had hoped that Steve would be back, or Peter would come down from bed rest, or maybe, just maybe, Natasha and Pepper would appear, Pepper more so than Natasha because Stephanie really didn't know what to talk about with Natasha. Or, if it was safe to talk to Natasha.

So, she was starved of company. Which meant a tuna fish sandwich and the sour cream and onion chips in the cupboard for one.

She sat down at the bar, and took a chomp out of her sandwich. What was she going to do with the rest of her afternoon? She could exercise, but she was still pretty tired from yesterday's excursions. She could find Peter- he was bound to be somewhere around here. Thor could come back soon. She had some questions for him. She could find Pepper and Natasha, but she doubted they needed her help. She could go down and pester Tony and Bruce- except that Tony would end up pestering her back and Bruce wouldn't even pay attention he was so focused. And without Steve, she really had nothing to do.

She frowned at the thought of not doing anything. Everything had been so exciting since she'd gotten to New York. She should be happy of the down time though. Down time meant peace of mind.

Except that when she got back to real life down time was all she'd ever have.

Could she really go back to that?

She didn't want to think about it.

What to do, what to do…

She could nap. She could really use a nap.

Boring but sufficient.

Lunch and then a nap. Great. She really was going to go back to the "down time" life style.

She took another angry and oversized chomp of her tuna sandwich.

Footsteps signified somebody's arrival. She looked up just as he said, "Hey," Bruce smiled, his dark eyes bright, "I was wondering if I'd find you around here."

She nearly choked on her sandwich, "Hay," she managed- she hadn't expected Bruce to come out of the lab until the day of the wedding, and here he was, less than 24 hours later, coming to sit next to her on the bar stool.

"How's your morning gone?" Bruce asked politely.

Her mouth was still overly full, "Goohd."

"I should probably let you chew," he half smiled at her.

Oh gosh, this was just going great. "Sohrry," she tried, but her voice was slurred and she covered her mouth with her hand.

"It's not your fault- I'm the one that interrupted your lunch," he was doing that crooked smile thing that made her heart stutter ridiculously.

"No," she finally forced herself to swallow, "No, you're not interrupting. I just wasn't expecting anyone to show up, I guess. Do you want me to make you something?"

He shook his head, "No, I'm good."

"Oh good, because I don't cook," she smiled, gesturing to her poorly made tuna sandwich.

He laughed.

"So what are you doing up here?" she wondered aloud.

"I needed a break," he told her simply.

That surprised her, "Really?" She'd assumed that something bad had happened to the lab, or that Tony might've had to take off for some reason, leaving Bruce alone. Then again, Bruce would have still probably worked through that, the latter one at least… or maybe both. She smiled to herself watching something in the lab erupt, and him still looking over data, too concentrated on his work for anything else.

"Um, yeah," he didn't know how to take her really? question.

"Sorry, I just kind of thought you were the kind of person who worked until something was done, days on end until someone had to dig you out or something," she smiled half heartedly, obviously having misjudged.

"Normally that's- that's accurate," he nodded at her, "Normally I'm like that, it's just I'm-," he paused, and she waited, "I'm so tired from yesterday."

Enough to keep you from working? she wanted to ask, but she didn't press her luck, biting her lip to keep from saying anything.

Instead, after a moment of semi-awkward silence, she said tentatively, "So you're taking a break," and when he nodded the affirmation she continued, "What, were you planning on doing?"

"Nothing, really," he shrugged, leaning his forearms on the counter, "No plans. You?"

Stephanie raised her eyebrows, "Me? Gosh no, I don't think I'll step back into New York City ever again. I cause disaster."

"Hey, that," he shook his head, smiling wryly, "that's my M.O. You can't just take it," and she grinned challengingly at him, almost saying, "want a bet", but he just laughed, saying before she could counter, added uncertainly, "Maybe, I could show you my favorite café down near Central Park."

A café? Just the two of them? But all that came out was, "Central Park?"

He looked down at the island, folding his hands in front of him, "I-I know you're probably sick of seeing green, but, I think everyone should see Central Park before they leave New York," he looked up at her through his glasses, "just to say they've seen it."

"First off I love the color green," she told him, narrowing her eyes momentarily, but the effect was lost because of her smile, "Second off, won't Fury be, I don't know-."

"Furious?"

She laughed outright, "Yes," she grinned, before looking sideways as she said, "I thought he put you on house arrest."

He grinned at her, and, was that, _deviousness_ that she detected in his dark eyes? "We'll just have to be sneaky about it."

She couldn't help but grin back, feeling entirely too conspiratorial as she did so.

Forty five minutes later, she and Bruce were in front of a Starbucks.

"This is your favorite café?" she asked with a hesitant smile as the taxi pulled away from them.

"Na, no," he laughed, taking her by the arm gently and leading her past Starbucks. Stephanie smiled broadly, leaning into him.

New York City was full of people, so many people, especially for a country girl. Stephanie couldn't help but watch try and look at everyone. All of the people, with so many different voices, and so many different stories to tell, if only she had time to stop and listen and ask, but, it was sad. No one would meet her eyes. No one made contact with anyone else, but before she could really register anything, Bruce was opening a door for her, and she stepped in.

The door was windowed, and painted green, and inside was quiet, warm, and smelled like autumn. She looked back to Bruce, who was right behind her.

"What do you want?" he asked, motioning to the chalkboards above the counter.

"Um," Stephanie paused, before she looked at him, guiltily, "I'm not a big coffee person."

She hadn't said anything earlier, afraid that if she shot down the coffee idea that he wouldn't want to go into the city with her, but now, admitting it, she felt like she'd just wasted an hour of his time.

He just smiled at her though, "I'm not big into coffee either, remember?"

She cocked her head at him, "But that's how we met," she said, smiling through furrowed brows.

"Yes," "It was decaf remember? The smell, it helps me wake up." "So, you don't have to order coffee. There are other things on the menu."

"I guess I don't hang out in cafés much," she said, biting her lip, staring at the scrawl above her and swearing she didn't recognize a word.

"Here," he smiled lopsidedly, stepping forward to the counter, and ordering two drinks for them.

Stephanie smiled at his back, thinking to herself that she liked him in jeans and his regular loose button up shirt, and then bit her lip again when he caught her staring, and smiled at her before the cashier asked him what he wanted.

She looked away, blushing. She was acting like a high school student with a crush. She was an adult, and she was fully aware that he was involved with another woman. Another woman named Elizabeth Ross, who had known him a long time, since before he became the Hulk, and loved him still, and her father, General Ross, was his rival, and despite it all they were still in love. It had star-crossed lover novel written all over it.

"Hey," he asked her, jarring her out of her reverie, walking up to her with two plastic cups, one in each hand, "What happened?"

She blinked up at him, "What? Oh nothing."

He didn't seem convinced, brows drawing together, "I'm pretty sure, when I was right," he peered down at her, focused on her mouth, "Right," and he pushed at the side of her mouth with his forefinger, "Right here."

She smiled, laughing, but turned her face away, blushing again.

"There it is," he smiled crookedly at her, "Here," he handed her a cup, before leading the way out, leaving Stephanie a little breathless, and wondering- was he _flirting_ with her?

Na. No way. Not a snowball's chance. And yet… She shook it off, before following him out through the door.

For some reason, Stephanie had never thought of Central Park as huge. But it was.

And she was so happy it was.

Because it meant she and Bruce wandered. For hours. Stopping by the lake to watch kids feed ducks, listening to street musicians, and Stephanie even got chatted up by a homeless man until Bruce came to her rescue.

And in those glorious, sun lit hours, they talked about anything that came to mind- Bruce's travels around the world, and Stephanie's few ones throughout Europe, their favorite places they'd been, their places they would like to go, the cultures they valued and the ones they disagreed with it. They argued about the military, him being against and her being for, since her father was an officer in the US Army, and they got on the topic of global warming because someone was handing out flyers about it, and from that came all sorts of science topics that Stephanie could only listen to, since she knew very little about gamma rays except that they were stronger than any other ray in the electromagnetic spectrum.

"I'm boring you, aren't I?" he said in the middle of a sentence, catching her off guard.

"What? No, no-."

His mouth tugged sideways, "I'm sorry, I talk about my work too much."

"No, it's a good thing. It means you're passionate about it," she smiled encouragingly.

"It doesn't mean though, that you have to listen to me go on and on about gamma radiation and the possibilities- see there I go again," he threw up his hands in exasperation.

She nodded, grinning, "Go again, I really like to listen."

He chuckled, shaking his head.

"What?" she wanted to know.

He stopped walking, meeting her eyes, startling her, "I never thought I'd meet someone patient enough to listen to an hour and forty five minutes of me without paying for a class."

She knew that couldn't be true, but she only knew a few people in his life. "Tony-?" she tried.

"Tony," he smiled, looking forward and beginning to walk again.

"Doesn't listen. Right," she shook her head, catching up with him, "I knew that. Um, Elizabeth?"

His brows furrowed as he looked at her, "Who?"

Crap, had Betty's real name really just come out of her mouth, like a jealous fifteen year old? "Um, Betty?" she said timidly.

"Oh, Betty," he looked away with a shrug, "Yeah, we had good conversations."

She felt like kicking herself in the butt, "And did you teach?"

"Teach?"

Yes teach, heck anything to get off the topic of her mad envy, "You know, at a university?"

He smiled brightly, "I did. How else do you think I got so long winded?" Stephanie laughed, shaking her head, but he continued, sobering, "At least, for a while. Before the- the accident."

She twisted her mouth sadly, leaning in, "You think you could do it again?"

"Well, I guess- I guess I could. Now that," he turned his body to her as they walked, smiling, and she smiled back, not sure why he was smiling at her, but he elaborated, "Well, since you came along."

Stephanie almost blushed, "Yep," she said to keep herself from turning red, "Me and my weird mutant blood." She flexed her arm, for some stupid reason, and he laughed. She looked to him then, "Would they take you back at your university?"

"Ha," he said sarcastically, "I doubt it," he looked ahead, "I'd have to get clearance to be in the country first."

She hadn't meant to make him melancholy. She bit her lip, "That's right. So where will you go, after the wedding?"

His mouth tugged again, "I don't know yet."

She could tell he wasn't looking forward to it, but she couldn't help but smile at the thought, "That sounds so," she tried to find the right word, "Free."

"It sounds like you're thinking along the lines of 'hippy'," he told her with a rueful smile.

"No," she countered, "But it sounds so wonderful, to travel at free will," she said, splaying her arms wide as they walked.

He looked away, his eyes on the gravely ground, "It's not as glamorous as you're making it sound."

"I should be the judge of that," she declared, and then wondered, "Are you going to get the formula done in time?"

He shook his head, "There's no way to tell."

"Oh," and she slowed her pace, pondering, "So."

He seemed curious, "So what?"

"So should," she looked away, and stopped walking, not sure how to word this without sounding, well, either infatuated or terrified. "I mean, should I, should I come, with you?" Oh great. It had come out both infatuated AND terrified. Wasn't that just spectacular?

It took him a moment to process, "Come with-," and then it clicked, "Oh no, you couldn't- You have school to get back to don't you?"

Back to school? After this? "But if, the, Other Guy, busts out, and I'm not there?"

He frowned, and then shook his head, "I'll- I'll handle it, like I always have," he told her dismissively.

No! She had hoped that this conversation wouldn't go this way- why had she brought it up now, instead of later when she'd thought about her points of her argument more? "You wouldn't have to anymore though-," she tried.

He just shook his head, "I can't ask you to throw away your life like that-."

"It wouldn't be throwing it away," she disagreed, "And besides you could start petitioning to come back into the United States, and you know Tony won't stop working on the formula until you're cured-."

He kept shaking his head, "Stephanie-."

She wasn't going to let him cut her off as she really started to ramble, "Then you could start teaching again-."

"Stephanie I can't ask you-," but he broke off, and disjointedly asked, "Have you ever been to a third world country?"

What did that have to do with anything? "Yes, and I have always wanted to travel to-,"

He shook his head, interrupting her, "You don't know what you're saying."

She put her hands on her hips, offended, "I don't think you know what I'm capable of."

"Stephanie," he put his hands up to stop her from lashing out in defense, "Stephanie, it's not that I don't think you're capable. I just don't want to put you through that- and what would your family say? Picking up and traveling around the world without finishing your masters?"

She let her hands drop off her hips as she shrugged, "That I needed an Eat Pray Love year or two."

He pursed his lips, "It wouldn't be though. It would be darker, dirtier, than you're thinking. I've got- people after me."

"I know," she told him, "But Bruce, you said it yourself," she looked into his eyes determinedly, "You said that there is no going back from all this. And after these last few days, I don't think I could go back to just going to school to get a degree in, in psychology. Not when I could be seeing the world."

"These last few days have been – more, I guess," he tried to argue.

It wasn't working, "Uh huh."

"I- I couldn't do that to you," he said, turning away from her gaze.

She peered into his face, leaning forward, "You wouldn't be."

"You," he said, his dark eyes thick with indefinable emotion, "You would be willing, to follow an old man around-,"

"You're not old," she disagreed.

"-the world, giving up your career," he continued.

"Psychologists don't really get good jobs anyways-," she shrugged, which was true if you didn't get a masters.

"- just in case he, he can't control his temper?" he finished.

It was like he was trying to pick a fight, "It's not like that and you know it."

He stared at her with utter disbelief, and she stared back stubbornly.

"No," he stepped away from her, shaking his head, "No."

This was not how she had wanted this to go. Her heart wrenched, but now all she could think to do was back peddle and start over a bit, fiddling with her fingers, "I mean, I get that you don't want some kid following you around, but if this is because you think you're, you're stopping my life somehow- I mean, I don't know a better gig than hanging out with the Avengers, do you?"

"But it wouldn't be the Avengers- it would just be me."

She smiled brightly, "I know."

"You," he stepped forward again, "you can't be serious."

He was wrong. "I am."

And she was. She hadn't known it before now, but she was almost- set on it. And the more he refused, the more it scared her. Because somehow this had been her future, ever since she'd first pulled Bruce back into control in the JFK airport, heck, ever since she'd run into him and his coffee cup in Salt Lake. And with him saying no to this future? Did that mean that she really was going to have to go back to real life, and try and finish up her degree? Take back autographs from Tony Stark, and get a few pictures of her and the team and take it home and that be it?

Was that the grown up thing to do? Realize reality, and remember how to get back to real life, instead of this epic adventure? But what would happen to Peter? Would he join the team? And Steve and Beth? Would they work out in the end? And Bruce…

Bruce was staring at her, trying to read her face. And she was staring back, determined that she showed she wouldn't waver. But he seemed to be leaning in closer, and she, she was following his lead. Because despite all this uncertainty, she knew-

"What are you two doing?"

They jumped apart, Stephanie whirling around to see a very angry Natasha.

"Oh hey," Bruce smiled, but it wasn't light hearted, "I was wondering when you were going to show up."

"Come on, both of you," Natasha growled dangerously, taking them both by the arm and marching them away.

They didn't say a word until they got to a sleek, black, short limousine, Natasha basically tossing them inside, Stephanie knocking into Bruce.

Stephanie felt guilt overwhelm her as the door slammed behind them, sitting up and away from Bruce. He'd gotten caught- now what was going to happen? Would they deport him? She looked out of the window at the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, who was talking rapidly into a phone, surveying the scene as she did so.

Oh no, oh no.

"I'm sor-."

"Don't," Bruce told her before she could finish, and he smiled, and he seemed almost amused by it all.

How could he even think of laughing at a time like this? He was going to get into trouble! It was like he had a card he could pull that kept him calm. What card? This was S.H.I.E.L.D.! Normal human beings needed whole decks of cards to keep calm around these people! But- then again, Bruce _wasn't_ a normal human being.

But she _was_.

Stephanie looked away morosely. And jumped when Natasha opened the car door.

"What were you thinking?" Natasha demanded when she'd shut her phone, climbing in and sitting across from a cowering Stephanie and laid back Bruce. "I distinctly remember Fury putting you on house arrest, and you," she glowered at Stephanie, bright hair flaring around her face, "Don't you think you've done enough damage this week?"

Bruce sat forward, his nonchalance gone, "Natasha, that's not-."

Natasha's attention was on him, her voice low and threatening, "I didn't sign up to be your babysitter, Dr. Banner. You make a dash into the city again, and I will personally buy your ticket to Thailand. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," he answered sardonically.

"And you," Natasha's eyes flashed back to Stephanie, who froze under her terrifying gaze.

"Don't- Don't-," Bruce interrupted quickly, "It was my idea, Natasha, not hers."

"Yeah?" Natasha tilted her head as she rounded on him, "Wait until you're out of the country next time you want to go on a date Dr. Banner, or you'll answer to me."

"Got it," Bruce's smile was false. "I'll be careful next time."

"Next time?" she snapped.

"You knew what I meant," Bruce rolled his eyes, sitting back into the seat.

The rest of the ride home was a buildup of silent tension so thick that when Stephanie finally got out of the limousine at Stark Tower she almost gasped aloud for air. Natasha followed her, slinking past her, taking her silent, and terrifying tension with her.

She heard Bruce slide out, and shut the door, but she was too focused on Natasha to look around him. She had to be ready to run if the red head decided they were too much trouble to be dealt with and killed them on the spot. Not that Stephanie would get far if she did decide to run, but she at least wanted a sporting chance.

"She's terrifying," Stephanie quavered where she stood.

Bruce chuckled, rubbing her back, "Try having her ambush you sometime."

Stephanie looked up at him in horror.

He smiled at her expression, "Yeah, that's what I said." He gestured for her to lead the way, and she did, but he fell into place next to her as they made for the elevator.

Natasha had already gone up without them thankfully, but Jarvis chimed in once they started to ride up to the top floors. "Dr. Banner, Master Stark is looking for you."

"Right," Bruce said, his mouth twisting. "I guess he was the one that sent out the search party?"

"I don't know what you mean, sir."

"Uh huh," Bruce grumbled, before he said to the ceiling, "Thanks JARVIS."

"Anytime, sir."

"Well, back to work," Bruce sighed to her, hands in his pockets.

"Yeah," she smiled, but didn't mean it, holding her arm to her side.

"Maybe," he said, his voice lilting, "Maybe, I'll see you later?"

She tried not to show how hopeful that made her, "Maybe. But," she looked away to a corner, "You've got work to do."

"Eh, yeah," he shrugged as the elevator door opened to the lab room, backing away so he could still see her as he exited, "It'll get done."

"See you!" she smiled with a small wave, "Thanks, for taking me to Central Park."

He grinned, his dark eyes bright, and she couldn't breathe, "My pleasure."

The elevator doors slid shut, and she was grateful, because she felt like melting. She was melting. That's why her joints felt like they wouldn't function right?

That look in his eyes, giving her heart a hard time as it stuttered- this was ridiculous! Ridiculous! And yet…

A/N: So, for a lotta fluff, what'd you think?


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Hey guys…

I'm ashamed to show my face after it's been so long…

But I hope you like the fluff!

It's extra fluffy!

Chapter 10

Thursday.

It was Thursday.

And the last time she had seen Bruce?

Tuesday.

She wasn't quite sure when later was, but, Stephanie thought she'd rather see him again "sooner" rather than whatever his "later" was.

"Well don't you look just cheerful," Peter smiled at her as she walked into the kitchen. She didn't even glare at him. She'd just gotten out of practice with Steve, who had been thoroughly helping her get into shape. She'd punched the heart out of the bag today – well, not taking it right off its hinges like Steve did when he zoned out, but she was pretty sure she'd been thorough in pummeling it. And she was getting better with her balance with kicking too. Of course whenever she tried to kick the bag at the high x Steve had taped on it she almost always fell over, but it wasn't as bad as before. And the running cool down had helped her peace of mind. Hopefully that would last.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him, rounding the island.

"I need to get out," groaned Peter, stretching where he sat. "It's boring here."

"Yeah?" she smiled at him over her shoulder as she reached for a glass, "Just wait a little while longer, it'll get interesting again."

"Yeah-, wait," he stopped himself as she filled her glass with water from the tap, "Were you, I mean, do you even, work out?"

She peered at him over her shoulder, "Yeah?"

"Is there a gym here?- Of course there's a gym here, it's Stark Tower, they having everything in this place," he spoke faster as his excitement grew, "Did you know they have a helipad on the roof? And there's a swimming pool somewhere around here-."

She finished swallowing a mouthful of water, her hand on her hip, "It's Stark Tower," she said in a deadpanned voice.

He made a face at her, "Shut up, you know it's cool."

She waved him off, polishing off her glass of water, "Yeah, yeah, don't get snarky with me kid."

"Who even says snarky?" he wanted to know.

She twisted her mouth at him, "Shut up and eat your breakfast," she ordered as she put her glass in the sink.

"I already did," he said in an antagonizing voice, holding up his empty bowl as he made his way to the sink.

She reached for the bowl, "Give me that."

He snatched it away, "I can do my own dishes, I'm not five."

"You act like it," she sneered teasingly.

He glowered at her flatly, "Well then you're, like, three."

She threw up her hands in exasperation, "How does that even make sense? I'm like five years older than you."

"Two," he held up two fingers, "Unless you failed math."

She wrinkled her nose at him, "No mocking my lacking in math skills," she told him, grabbing his bowl from him and washing his dish, "I could rock you in writing any day."

"Right," he said skeptically, "Who has the 4.0 again?"

She rounded on him with a contending face, "I'll take you out, kid."

"I'd like to see you try-."

"She takes out the Hulk on a regular basis," Steve walked into the room, looking like he should be on the cover of a men's workout magazine instead of how she must look- that was, dripping with sweat and in total disarray, "I wouldn't try her."

Peter shrugged at him, leaning against the island, "That's because she's like part mutant or whatever."

"And she's got a mean right hook these days," Steve winked at Stephanie, who brandished her fist with a confident grin.

"Oh is that right?" Peter asked her with raised eyebrows.

She smirked at him, "Yeah that's right."

"Bring it on, then, sunshine," he challenged, tugging on a strand of her hair.

She twisted her mouth at him, hands on hips, "You couldn't handle this."

"Want to bet?" he contested, up in her face.

The Hulk was one thing, but Spiderman? She was pretty sure hanging onto him wouldn't do any good. So instead, "I don't hit cripples."

He gasped at her in disbelief as she walked away, "I'm not a cripple! Doc healed me right up."

"Speaking of Doctor Liretto," Stephanie said coyly, pulling herself up onto the counter next to Steve, who was making himself some oatmeal, "She's pretty."

The way his face lit up in appreciation, the way he half smiled, said everything, "Y-yeah, she is." But as soon as he stuttered the words out, his face fell.

Stephanie frowned at him, "What was that look for?"

"What look?" he demanded impetuously.

She cocked her head, pointing at his face, "That ridiculous puppy dog pout thing that you're still doing-."

"Um, I don't- I don't know what you're talking about so-," he said, trying to move away, shrugging as though it were no big deal.

She slid in front of him, blocking his exit, "Ah ah ah, don't even think about it. Spill."

Immediately his face hardened, "I don't have to talk to you-."

She nodded in agreement, "No but you should."

"What, 'cause you're a shrink?" he wanted to know, trying to pick a fight.

She held up a finger, "Psychologist. Difference. And no. What happened?"

He sighed, leaning away from her, "Nothing happened. We got in a fight."

"About what?" she queried.

He wouldn't meet her gaze, "It was nothing. It was stupid, ok?"

Well this obviously wasn't nothing, no matter what he said, "Right. So just tell me."

"No- wait, how did this even happen?" he stopped himself, glaring at her, before he tried to maneuver around her again.

She put her arms out to keep him from leaving, "You can't talk your way out of this one, kid. Just tell me."

"It'll be a lot less painful," Steve said flatly from where he was sitting at the island, gesturing at them with his spoon. Stephanie smiled at Steve.

Peter looked around at him in disbelief, "What you go to her for, girl advice?"

"Sometimes I do," Steve shrugged easily, taking another bite of his breakfast.

Peter narrowed his eyes at him, "She can't even get her own guy, what makes you think she can help?"

Steve seemed confused, "What do you mean?"

Peter rolled his eyes, "Well it's like, ridiculously obvious, that's she's into that monster guy-."

"He's not a monster-," Stephanie interjected defensively.

Peter gestured to her as though she'd proven his point, which really, she kind of had, "So see?" he said as Stephanie blushed in embarrassment, "Can't even get your own guy."

"Hey, want to shut up?" Steve growled, and suddenly the spoon he was holding looked threatening.

Stephanie shook her head at Steve, and then looked up at Peter, "You're trying to spin this around, kid. It's not going to work on me." She half smiled at him, staring into his confused eyes with her caring ones, "I'm just too good."

He took a step back from the look on her face, "Seriously? Seriously-."

She held up a hand to silence him, "Just, what happened?"

"Look- I haven't-," he leaned against the counter, twitchily, and then grimaced at the floor, "Not since Gwynn. So."

Ah. She understood now. Gwynn. "Do you think Gwynn would want you to hate yourself forever?"

He launched himself off the counter, getting in her face, making Steve stand up, but Stephanie held up a hand to stop him. Steve sat back down as Peter growled, "You-," he shook his finger at her, before shaking his head, looking away, "You are such a bad shrink."

"I'm not even a shrink, so it doesn't matter if I'm bad at it or not," Stephanie said, trying to sound upbeat, encouraging, "So what happened?"

"Nothing- she just got mad that I didn't tell her who I was," Peter shrugged his hands into his pockets, stepping away from her, "Not like she didn't know who I was already."

Stephanie tilted her head at him, "Why didn't you tell her?"

"I don't know, she's, she's, and the last time I told someone I-," Peter started shaking his head, licking his lips in agitation, "someone who I was, she ended up…" He stopped himself, looking away.

"Hey," she said, touching his shoulder gently, "she's working for a top secret facility as a doctor, and she hangs out with the Avengers. She'll be fine."

"Ha. Gwynn would have been fine, if I'd listened. If I'd-," he bowed his head, "Kept my promise."

And all the sudden Stephanie understood. Understood that he blamed himself almost whole heartedly for what had happened to Gwynn. It made her want to know everything that had happened, ask him all sorts of questions, but she knew. Not then, not at that moment. Right now that was not what he needed, was not for someone to poke him through his self made bars. So she flattened her hand on his shoulder, "You don't know that."

"I do, though," he said through a tightened mouth, "I know that." He shook his head once, before pulling away, walking towards the exit.

Stephanie made to stop him, "Look, Peter-."

He turned around, but still walked backwards, "Hey, it's ok. I'm just gonna go test out that gym."

His false unconcern wasn't fooling anyone, "Peter-!"

"Leave it, Steph," Steve told her from where he sat at the island, "It won't help."

She grimaced after the kid, "It might."

Steve shook his head, "No, it won't. Not right now."

"Ok," she sighed, and slid into a seat beside him, "So, thanks, for sticking up for me like usual."

He smirked simply, his eyes darting to look at her, before back to his cereal, "I stick up for my team mates."

Stephanie folded her arms and laid her head in them, thinking about what Peter had said, about her and Bruce. He was right. She shouldn't be giving anyone else advice when she pined after a guy she couldn't get, "He doesn't want me to stay."

"So that's what this has been," Steve smiled at his bowl.

She sighed. Had she been that obvious? Probably. She was a really good moper. If moper was a word. "Sort of."

Steve nodded, taking a bite of his breakfast, "Tell me, what happened?"

"Well, he, he asked me to go to Central Park with him," Stephanie smiled fondly at the memory.

Steve nodded again, "Yeah, when Stark found out you were both gone, he was, not happy."

Stephanie scowled, making a mental connection, "Stark?"

Steve spoke through his cereal, "Yeah."

"So he's the one that tattled on us?" Stephanie sat up a bit, miffed.

Steve looked to Stephanie, wary almost, like she was going to hit Tony again, "I don't-."

She stared straight ahead, "Jerk," she spat, sighing.

Steve's eyebrows knit together, "Me?"

Stephanie shook her head, "No, him."

"Yeah," Steve agreed, before letting the conversation drift into nothing, waiting for Stephanie to continue.

Which she did, after settling her head back onto her folded arms, "So, I asked if I could hang around," she said, getting back on the topic of Bruce, You know, follow him…"

"And?" Steve prompted.

She sighed herself into sitting up straight, "He said, no. That he didn't think I should give up my education."

Steve tilted his head back and forth, considering, "You probably shouldn't."

"But-," Stephanie was ready to argue, opening her mouth in anger.

"But I would," Steve said, meeting her eyes. And she couldn't help but smile at him. He smiled back warmly, "So, he said no huh?"

Stephanie glanced away, "Yeah-."

"He's just trying to protect you," Steve told her.

That only confused her. Protect her? Wasn't being at the side of a superhero the safest place to be? "What?"

Steve shrugged at her, a smile slowly growing on his face, "He's trying to do the right thing, and protect you. He's probably afraid you'll get hurt."

She frowned at that, "I won't get hurt though- and if I did he could just, you know, Hulk out, and then I would heal up just fine turning him back. See? No problem."

Steve shook his head emphatically, "Not that way, Steph."

"How then?" she wondered aloud. What did he mean, hurt? Hurt how?

He looked at her with raised eyebrows and lidded eyes, "How about you go talk to him about this?"

She glanced down at herself, "What, now?" She looked like a wreck, hair frizzed out around her face and sweat stained and downright grimy.

Steve shook his head with a "you're a goof" expression on his face, "No, go clean up first, and then go talk to him."

Stephanie stood up, hands on hips, confident. She was going to go talk to Bruce and hash this out. Whatever this was, it had to be hashed. It did. But she realized something, and that confidence drained out of her almost immediately, "But he's in the lab with Tony. They're busy-."

Steve smiled slightly at her, an odd expression on his face, "I don't think he'll be too busy."

She scrutinized his expression, "What was that look for?"

"What look?" he wanted to know, standing up, his breakfast done.

She said with a shrewd gaze, "That one- it was smug,- almost."

He ruffled her hair as he walked past, "I don't know what you're talking about, Doll."

"I'm not a doll!" she declared loudly as he turned on the water in the sink.

"Tell me how it goes," he said over his shoulder, winking at her.

She smiled at him, before half running from the room.

She didn't really think about what she put on she was so busy thinking about what to say to Bruce, because goodness, she didn't know where to start. She didn't want this to sound like a middle school girl's crush, because that's not what it was, and really, she would just be happy by his side, no matter what. That's all she wanted. But she didn't know how to say that without sounding absolutely ridiculous. So she panicked when she started down in the elevator, realizing she still had no idea to say, and no idea what she was wearing.

She looked down at herself.

Jeans, and a blue shirt. Good. Good, right? But she wasn't wearing shoes, just socks, which was kind of awkward in an elevator- was that going to be a problem, wearing no shoes? Was it protocol?

Protocol? In Tony Stark's lab? Yeah right.

She just had forgotten how to breathe for a second. And in that second she'd forgotten what she'd planned on saying. Had she had anything to say?

Crap! She should have written stuff on note cards or something-

And now the doors were sliding open-

Oh no, oh no! She almost pushed the elevator button to close again, but she heard something. Something that caught her attention.

Raised voices.

It took her a second before she could make it out.

"-Tony I didn't do anything-."

"You don't think I can't go back and look at the footage? It's like you're trying to inhibit this on purpose!"

"Tony, I think you need to cool off, get to sleep-." It was Bruce talking, and he sounded defensive.

"With you erasing data-?" And Tony was shouting.

"It was an accident," Bruce told him calmly. Stephanie had gotten over her shock at the two of them arguing, and had stepped into the room quietly, making no noise and pretending she didn't exist. Man she wished she had an invisibility cloak right at that moment. But from where she was standing she still couldn't see them.

"Accidents that erase whole parts of synthesis formula? I don't think so- you're not that much of a klutz, Banner," Tony accused, "You want her to come with you, don't you?"

Bruce was incredulous sounding, "What?"

Stephanie shook her head in disbelief. Yeah. _What_?

"Because if you don't have the synthesis by Fury's deadline, she'll be forced to come with you," Tony sounded scathing, but Stephanie was just shocked. She had to be the she they were talking about, right? Because she honestly couldn't see Pepper or Agent Romanoff being forced to go with Bruce anywhere.

"No, that's not-," Bruce tried.

But Tony interrupted, "Travel the world together? Sounds romantic enough, until she realizes she'll be living in slums, with diseases and deformities-."

"Stark-."

"Thieves? Murderers? Rapists? Yeah, you gonna save her from those when you're in the middle of a city? Where millions of people could get hurt-?"

"We'll stick to the countryside-," Bruce started to say, but stopped himself short, just as Stephanie stopped breathing. He had said "we."

"And what, camp out with the lions and tigers and bears? And see? You're already planning on taking her with you!"

Stephanie slumped against the wall, hiding a smile with one hand. He had said we. He had said we.

"No I'm not-."

"You said we!" Why did Stark make it sound it like a bad thing?

"I meant I-."

Had he really meant I? Stephanie felt the smile slide off her face. He might have. But-

"Admit it- you erased the data on purpose," Tony was back to his faultfinding.

"Tony you, you haven't slept in three days-."

"Don't blame this on me being tired. I don't get tired. I run on batteries," Tony waved him off, before he was back on the offensive, "You. Do you really want me to help you? Or do you want to always rely on a girl who's twenty years younger than you, who doesn't even know what anti electron collisions are, until she dies?"

Stephanie felt her heart sink. Why did Tony make her sound so terrible? So young and so stupid and so terrible? She was pretty sure hitting a billionaire twice after he'd forgiven her the first time out of his good graces, those very rare good graces would disappear. And she didn't really feel like hitting anyone- just like slumping down against the walls-

"I-," Bruce sounded almost as hurt as she felt, "I just wanted more time. Just, more time-."

"Well you don't have any more time," Tony reminded him harshly, "Ross is going to be all over New York looking for you, and Fury? He likes his deadlines."

"I know- I just, need to clear my head." Stephanie heard footsteps, and she pressed her back into the wall, all the sudden realizing what she had been doing- which was clearly eavesdropping.

"Don't go running off this time. I don't think Romanoff wants to play hide and seek again."

"Well if you hadn't told her-," Bruce sounded annoyed.

"You might have eloped on the spot and run away to India."

"Shut up Stark-," and Bruce stepped into sight, and froze on the spot when he saw her, "Stephanie." His dark eyes were wide, horrified.

And she couldn't manage anything more than a, "Hi." She was still processing.

He took a small step back, eyes locked on her, "You- you heard."

"No- I just got down here," she lied, probably sounding more cheerful than she meant to, "What's up?"

Tony came stalking into the picture, and when he saw Stephanie he rounded on Bruce, "You planned this, didn't you?"

"No, no, I didn't even know she was coming today," Bruce gestured to her nervously, before pulling off his glasses.

"It was spontaneous," she nodded at Tony, glaring at him for yelling, before turning back to Bruce, "Um, you busy?"

Bruce's face lit up a little, making her smile as he replied, "No-."

"He should be helping me," Tony said, folding his arms in annoyance. "But if he's going to be erasing data like that, then I don't want him here. Because I still want to find a cure for you," he looked Stephanie up and down, "instead of having you use a crutch." He turned away from them, walking back into the lab.

She would hit him with a crutch -

Bruce shook his head at Tony's receding back, "Should we-?" he gestured for her to enter the elevator.

She couldn't help but agree, "Yes-."

"Don't forget to use protection!" Tony called to them, obviously still annoyed as the elevator doors slid shut.

Stephanie felt herself blushing, but it was Bruce that spoke in stutters, "He- he's just-."

"Yeah," she assured him without looking up at him, "He's Tony. I'm used to it."

"I don't think I'll ever be," Bruce sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Stephanie grinned at that, snorting a bit. Bruce smiled at her slightly.

The elevator continued to pull them upwards as silence stretched. Stephanie hazarded a try at prying into what they had been really talking about, "So- were you two arguing?"

Bruce was immediately panicked, facing her with wide eyes, "You said you didn't hear-."

Stephanie held up her hands in defense, "I didn't, I just, heard raised voices-."

"Right, right," Bruce nodded, his anxiety fading away again, before he asked offhandedly, "How old are you again?"

Stephanie was confused, "Twenty four. Why?"

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head, staring at where the wall met the floor.

Stephanie twisted her mouth up at him, "You look exhausted."

"Thanks," Bruce chuckled, still not meeting her eyes.

It was Stephanie's turn to panic, thinking he'd thought she'd insulted him, "No, I meant-."

"I know," he reassured her with a lopsided smile.

She bit her lip, "Do- you want to take a nap?"

"Not," he half smiled again, and his expression was odd, "Not exactly."

Stephanie didn't know what to make of it, so she turned away, staring at the ceiling, "You probably should. How long did you say you've gone without sleep?"

"Ah," he sighed, now staring at the ceiling as well, "Too, too long."

"You should take a nap then," she encouraged brightly.

"I should," Bruce agreed with her wearily, "Probably I should, but-."

"But nothing," she decided in a firm voice, "You'll get sick otherwise." Oh heavens, did she sound like a mother or what?

"I don't get sick," he told her, meeting her eyes.

"Well," she quavered momentarily, "Still."

"Still what?" he smiled, and for a second she forgot what she was arguing. She loved when he smiled, loved how easily that quirk came to his mouth.

"A nap?" she tried, sounding almost incoherent she was sure.

"Maybe it wouldn't hurt," he nodded, his gaze trailing away, before snapping back to her again, "But," he sounded hesitant, "after."

"After?" Why did she have to sound so hopeful?

He nodded, "After. I'll, see you then?"

"Of course, yeah, you know I'll be here," she smiled, so broadly, because here again, he wanted to spend time with her, _with her_, "So," she said as the elevator doors opened to his room.

"So I'll, see you then?" he prompted, raising his eyebrows.

"Right, yes. Yes. Good night, er," she stopped herself from fumbling further.

He chuckled, his eyes dancing, "Good night."

Ugh, she was an idiot! She banged her head against the doors of the elevator when they slid shut.

And yet-

Even though she was an idiot-

Tony had seemed positively convinced that Bruce had purposefully erased their progress. And Bruce hadn't really denied it. He had, but he had also said… that he just wanted more time. More time with her. Right? Or was she being too hopeful?

But he had said we! He had! She'd heard it- they'd stick to the countryside. She would love to stick to the countryside. Heck she would just love to stick by his side…

She was being ridiculous. Ridiculous. Hopes up so high she felt like she was floating.

The elevator doors opened on the wrong floor to her surprise.

And in walked-

"Thor!" she stated with surprise as the man towered over her.

"Lady Warrior," he nodded at her as he stepped inside, "Forgive me, but I have forgotten your name."

"Stephanie," she reminded him with a smile, leaning back against the wall.

"Lady Stephanie," he smiled at her, "How do you fair?"

"I'm, good, thanks," Stephanie spoke hesitantly, "How- are you? Er, do you fair, I mean, um-."

"I fair well," he chuckled at her stuttering, and she felt like kicking her foot against the ground like a kid. He was just so- overwhelmingly, royal, or regal, or something that she couldn't define. Godlike, maybe? She recalled sarcastically. "I seek out Captain Rogers," he said to her determinedly.

"Steve?" she blinked at the formal 'Captain Rogers,' and then remembered that she herself only days ago had called him Captain Rogers, or Captain America. And now she was on a first name basis with him, and he called her 'doll.' And he was teaching her how to fight. "I don't know where he is, I haven't seen him since breakfast. Jarvis?"

"Yes Miss Steph?"

"Who speaks?" Thor demanded, looking wildly around.

"Oh, it's Jarvis," Stephanie pointed towards the ceiling. "He's an AI."

"Artificial Intelligence," Jarvis said informatively, half reminding Stephanie that Thor wouldn't know what an AI was.

"Is there another person I cannot see within this chamber?" he searched the ceiling where she had pointed. "Reveal yourself!"

"No- no," Stephanie grinned at his bewilderment, "He's, Jarvis is a computer program, created by Tony, to help run programs for him while he's busy. Sort of. Is that right, Jarvis?"

"Something similar to that," Jarvis sounded as though he were a bit miffed at the abbreviation.

"So, he is a ghost?" Thor wondered aloud.

Stephanie didn't know how else to explain it, "Er, kind of."

"No, I am not," behind his edifying tone he sounded annoyed.

"A ghost that knows where Steve is?" Stephanie prompted with a guilty smile, her gaze shooting to the ceiling.

"Yes," Jarvis said with a sigh, "I do. He is on the floor below."

"Might we travel there, Good Jarvis?" he looked sidelong at Stephanie, as though asking, 'was that polite?'

She grinned up at him, and nodded, giving him the thumbs up.

He regarded her thumb curiously, before grabbing it with two of his large fingers.

"It means 'good job'," she giggled at him, pulling her thumb away, and took his hand, folding his fingers into a fist, and pushing his thumb up.

He held the thumbs up symbol a little longer, and nodded at her, smiling cordially, "Good, job," the statement was thick in his mouth, "Is that right?"

She smiled brightly, trying not to show how humored she was, "Yep."

The elevator started downwards, surprising Thor a bit.

"Lady warrior," Thor said as he let his hand drop, and she couldn't help but grin at the nickname, "You remind me of Darcy in a small way."

Stephanie blinked, confused, "Darcy?" Dang it, and here she had thought she had caught onto the names of everyone in this social circle.

"A, friend, of mine," Thor told her, "Perhaps you will meet her someday."

"Sounds fun," she said, and then amended, "I would be delighted."

The elevator doors opened, startling him. The man, er, god, was jumpy for being, well, a god.

"Captain Rogers should be on this floor, Mr. Odinson," Jarvis said politely, though she was sure there was a pause before he put the 'Mr.' in front of Odinson.

"Thank you," Thor hesitated, looking to Stephanie again, "Jarvis."

Stephanie gave him the thumbs up sign again.

Thor responded in kind, looking to her to make sure he was doing it right, before stepping off the elevator purposefully, and saying, "Farewell, Lady Stephanie."

Stephanie waved, "Bye! See you later!"

The doors slid shut behind him.

"So Jarvis!" she smiled up at the ceiling of the elevator, "How are you?"

"I-," he paused, "I'm well, Miss Steph."

"Good to hear," she said with a grin, "Though you sound a little uncertain."

"It's not in my programming to think about such things Miss Steph," he replied.

"Oh," Stephanie hadn't considered that. "Well, maybe you should think about them."

"Perhaps I should," he sounded contemplative. "However, Miss Steph, Mr. Barton is looking for you, as well as Miss Asa."

"Asa! Take me to her, please," she smiled at Jarvis, or at the ceiling.

"They plan on taking a trip," Jarvis told her, and the elevator still didn't move.

"Sweet! Another chance to sightsee!" Still the elevator didn't move, "Is- it ok if I go?"

"Yes of course it is," Jarvis told her, "However, you might want shoes first."

Stephanie looked at her socked feet, and then bit her lip over a smile, "Yeah, maybe I would."

They didn't end up sightseeing though. Clint Barton, the second Avenger's handler, had decided that Asa could use a shopping trip, to relax her. Well, if Stephanie had been kidnapped, and then right after been signed up to work for S.H.I.E.L.D. as the Avenger's doctor, she would have needed some stress relief too.

The agent and the short doctor were close. It was fun to watch them together, Barton treating her like a kid, and Asa pulling him around. He had excellent input though. Upon questioning, the agent muttered something along the lines of, "Nat likes to shop."

That made Stephanie grin broadly.

Asa was fun, bright, spirited. She knew what she wanted, and followed through. Stephanie could only admire her for it. She liked her taste of clothing as well, and it was helpful, since Stephanie wasn't quite sure what was in fashion at the moment. And if she was going to attend the Stark wedding, she was pretty sure she was going to have to be at the height of it.

Finally, when they had both found things to wear, and had purchased them (the money had generously come from Pepper), Stephanie was happy to be back at Stark tower, where no one was glaring at her for looking out of place in such fancy outlet stores, and where she could collapse happily on her bed.

When there was a knock at the door.

She sat up, confused. Had she and Asa mixed up bags? There had been a lot of them, at least by Stephanie's standards.

She went to the door.

And to her surprise, there stood Bruce, hair a little mussed, and his hands bashfully in his pockets. He looked up at her when she opened the door, and she couldn't help but meet those dark eyes. "Hey," he said, sounding as though he wasn't sure what to say.

"Hey," she grinned at him, not even thinking to say more she was so happy to see him.

"H-how was your day?" he asked her tentatively.

"Most Excellent," she replied easily.

He smiled, glancing away and then back at her, "Have any excellent adventures?"

"Of course! It's Stark Tower! You don't even need a Ted or a Bill," she teased, wrinkling her nose, "How about you?"

He shrugged, jabbing his thumb at the elevator, before sticking his hand back into his pants pocket, "Just got some shut eye."

She nodded at him, noticing the bags under his eyes were partially gone, "You look do look thoroughly not exhausted."

"Thanks," he rolled his eyes, before their easy conversation "So, do you wanna do dinner?"

She looked at him perturbed, "I thought we couldn't leave-." Because she did NOT want to run into Natasha like that again.

"We," he smiled, looking down at the floor fondly, "we aren't going to."

"Oh," she stated blankly, before grinning broadly, "Yeah, sure."

He gestured for her to go ahead of him, "What do you like?" he asked her as she stepped into the hallway, "To eat, I mean?"

"Erm, I'm not picky really," she told him, a little untruthfully. She was somewhat picky. But whatever this guy made, she was going to eat it, even if she had to gag down tuna-nuna casserole (which she loathed above all other foods, even haggis, which she had never tried, but she assumed even if she had, she would rather eat that than tuna-nuna casserole).

"Alright," he was so cheerful as he pushed the elevator button to go up, "Then let's see what we can conjure up."

She had never been to this kitchen before. It was smaller than the one the Avengers had all eaten in the morning after Peter Parker and the destroying downtown New York episode. But, like in all of the Stark kitchens, there was plenty of anything Stephanie could think of. Bruce pulled open one of the cupboards. "You sure you don't have any preference?"

"Hey I can't cook, so," Stephanie laughed, walking over to peer inside the cupboard with him.

"So?" Bruce asked her, eyebrows raised.

"So," She shrugged easily, and then smiled, "I'm at your mercy."

He started pulling out things, setting them on the counter, "Well say uncle if anything looks like it will make you sick."

He started putting pots of water on to boil when she realized she was standing there, staring at him awkwardly. She jolted herself out of it, and rubbed her hands together, "So what can I do to help?"

He chuckled, shaking his head, cutting strips of chicken, "You can tell me how you've been doing."

"No, I mean like cut carrots or something," she said, going for what looked like the salad area he'd set up. She could handle making a salad, right? She picked up the knife he'd laid next to a cutting board.

He shook his head again, reaching for it.

She pulled away from him, teasing, "What, you don't trust me with a knife?"

"No," he said quickly, "that's not what I-."

"It's not like I'm a serial killer," she said, keeping it out of his reach.

"That's not what I -," he tried to insert.

"And I promise not to cut your fingers off," she made her voice sweet, but she was challenging him.

He pursed his lips in a sarcastic expression, "You couldn't if you tried-," he went for the knife again.

She shrugged, looking coyly up at him, "So what's the problem?"

"You should sit back," he told her, "You know, relax."

"Yeah, but how am I supposed to learn to cook?" she wanted to know.

"I'll have to teach," he stopped himself short.

"What?" Stephanie prompted, eyes bright.

"Not, nothi- not a thing," he sounded frazzled a bit, but he was still smiling, waving her to, "Go sit, sit down, over there."

"No, what were you going to say?" she grinned, stepping closer to him.

"That," and he reached for the knife and got it nimbly in his hands before she could protest, and continued his sentence confidently, "That I'm, not the best teacher."

She rolled her eyes as he walked back to his task, folding her arms, "Says the college professor."

"I only taught a few classes, and they weren't very good," he told her, putting her knife down and picking up the meat slicing one.

"Uh huh," her tone was dripping with sarcasm.

"No really. The only reason they kept me was because," but he stopped himself again, the knife he was working with slowing down.

"Because what?" she demanded.

"My research," Bruce said, face darkening slightly as he focused on chopping again, "It was, promising."

"Oh," she thought she had better not go down that path at the moment, "But I'm sure your lessons were good."

He gave her a doubting look, "You've never had me as your teacher."

That didn't matter, "You have an instinct for it." He'd taught her a lot that time in the park about the different countries and cultures. Things that she wouldn't have remembered otherwise.

"Oh," he chuckled, his eyes sparking, "do I now?"

"Sure you do," she tilted her head, "I bet you can teach me how to cook."

"Ah ha," he pointed his knife at her, "I see what you did there." He put the meat in a pan on the stove easily.

"Uh huh," she grinned mischievously, picking up her abandoned knife, "So what do I do first?"

He smiled at her, really smiled at her, his dark eyes glittering bright. She had to look away, forcing herself not to blush, and started after the carrots.

"No, not that way," he told her with a gentle laugh, coming over to help as Stephanie brought down the knife on one of the carrots.

And he proceeded to teach her how to make a decent salad, which, apparently she'd been doing wrong all her life. When she'd teased him about making dinner, she'd assumed that he wouldn't know how to do fine dining. It added up. Professor, caught up in his work, and before that student, caught up in his work, and never having time to learn how to cook more than Kraft macaroni and cheese. And that being a lucky day. But here he was, really and truly showing her up and teaching her how to cut lettuce the easy way, and how to slice a tomato, and things that she had never really thought about doing.

And she didn't feel incompetent. In the slightest. She was entirely at ease, laughing with him, and at herself when she did stupid things.

"You really are a good teacher," she smiled at him as she set the table for two. He was still working on the chicken over at the island.

"What?" he said in surprise, smiling still, his black eyes lit.

"You're a good teacher," she repeated fondly.

He rolled his eyes, and continued to slice up the chicken, "Come here and stir the sauce."

"No, I'm serious," she told him firmly.

"So am I."

She twisted her mouth at him, laying out the last spoon, "I'm coming, I'm coming."

She joined him at the island, stirring the sauce amiably. He smiled at her as she stood next to him, before indicating at her handiwork, "You decorated the table nicely."

"Thanks," she shrugged, not looking up from the sauce, "My dad was, pretty strict when it came to setting the table. When it came to a lot of things actually."

"He's military isn't he?" Stephanie nodded. Bruce's mouth frowned on one side, "Then I believe it."

She wrinkled her nose at him, "The military isn't all bad you know."

He raised his eyebrows at her over his glasses, "Have you been on the wrong side of one of the generals?"

"Well, I dropped punch at a general's house at my dad's promotion party when I was five," she grinned up at him, "The general's wife wasn't too happy either."

He laughed, shaking his head, "Carpet?"

"Oh yes carpet," she said adamantly, feeling his elbow brush hers while they worked so close together, "White carpet, like blisteringly bright white."

"Until the punch."

"Until the punch," she agreed with a laugh.

"Red?" he wondered aloud, glancing over at her.

"Grape actually," she corrected matter-of-factly.

He looked up at the ceiling with a smile, "Even better."

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, "So what did you do to get on the wrong side of a general?" she asked tentatively.

"I," his face darkened, but she could tell he didn't want to be in a bad mood, "Became Mr. Hyde."

"Ha ha," she mock laughed, "No really. What happened exactly?"

"Exactly? I was a, mad scientist that was dating his daughter. When I turned out a freak he was happy to get rid of me. And then he couldn't get rid of me," Bruce's face was grim, "He's been after me ever since."

Oh that's right. Betty. Eck. And here she had been having such a lovely time, "He sounds like quite the villain," she stated cautiously, "I'd like to meet this General Ross."

"No," Bruce said fervently, staring at his pan so menacingly she was afraid it might start to melt under the pressure.

"Why not?" she wanted to know.

He shook his head, "No."

"That's not an answer," she said, determinedly.

"It's enough of one," he responded, meeting her eyes. His were so severely serious, so unquestioningly dismaying that she let it drop, feeling the pit of her stomach drop along with it.

"Alright," she said uneasily, "Cool," What else was she supposed to say to that? "Um, so, what do you want to drink?"

"I don't drink alcohol often, if that's what you're asking," he said, his voice still a color too dark for her liking.

She laughed, "Oh gosh no. No, alcohol and I don't mix well at all." She was such a light weight, she'd only had one bad experience with alcohol in her life and decided it just wasn't worth the trouble.

Now he sounded perplexed, "So then what would you like to drink?"

"Er, sparkling grape juice?" she tried, not sure if he'd go for that.

"What?" his eyebrows knit, and he half laughed.

"Yeah, it's what I normally drink instead of wine- let's see if they've got some- ah ha!" she pulled it out of the cupboard, almost as much to her surprise as it obviously was to his, "They have the most random things in this house," she muttered, before asking, "So how close are we to being done?" She paced towards him, putting the grape juice on the counter.

"Nearly," he said, lifting the lid off the rice. Steam billowed out His glasses fogged up immediately. Stephanie laughed aloud and reached up to get them before he did without thinking, taking them and scrubbing them clean.

"Thanks," he smiled at her, stirring the rice as she finished the job.

She handed them back to him gingerly, "There, good as new," she smiled brightly.

He smiled as put them on, blinking experimentally. He looked at her then, eyes kind, and she could only beam in response. He tilted his head at her, and then caught a strand of her hair, folding it back into the rest of her hair. His hand trailed along her cheek before he pulled away entirely, leaving a scorch mark where his fingers touched. She couldn't meet his eyes, sure that she was blushing profusely.

The hissing sound of water boiling over from the rice jolted her back to reality. Bruce was tending to the mess, but, he didn't seem unhappy. He seemed, peaceful, even though his rice was now burning.

Or so Stephanie thought. But no, the rice didn't even burn. No, the meal looked perfect as they laid it out together, and Stephanie couldn't help but sigh.

"What?" Bruce asked, pausing as he sat, looking at her nervously, "Is this, not what you wanted?"

"Oh no, it's wonderful, too wonderful," she sat down, mumbling, "You're just wonderful, that's all."

"What?" Bruce smiled, though he still looked confused.

"Nothing," she smiled hugely at him.

"Uh, uh huh," he still sounded uncertain, "So, shall we?"

The spoke a lot over dinner. They spoke at first about cooking, and about what their favorite dishes were after she'd told him how excellent the meal was. And it was.

And he was absolutely wonderful. Wonderful, perfectly so. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

She couldn't have been happier sitting across from him at the table while they spoke to one another easily, without any gaps or awkward pauses. It was fun, simple. She laughed more than she had in days and she loved to listen to his laugh. His deep, full laugh that was entirely infectious.

They cleared the plates together, and when Bruce immediately started on the dishes she smiled at him fondly.

"What?" he asked her, looking apprehensively at her.

"Nothing," she told him quickly, waving her hands, "It's just my family does it that way too- the start working right on the dishes." In no way would she tell him that she had been envisioning him fitting right in at home, getting plates from her brothers while she dried and loaded them into the dishwasher, while her mother put away left overs and her dad swept.

He nodded at that, probably not sure how to respond. She shook her head, and started to help him.

He should have realized, however, that flicking her with water was not his smartest idea.

"You did not just do that," she said incredulously, straightening.

He looked at her wide eyed, before going back to washing the last pot.

She twirled the dripping drying rag into a spiral.

She'd been on the high school swim team. She knew how to make a "rat's tail" out of a wet towel, smiling maliciously as her victim unsuspectingly finished up.

How he managed to dodge the 'swat!' the cloth she would never know. He looked at her, holding his hands between them in defense, backing away, "Oho, no, no."

She wrinkled her nose at him, and lashed the cloth out again. He leapt out of the way, leaving the sink wide open and water running.

She put her hand under the faucet, and flung a palm full of water at him, splashing his face.

For a moment he stood there, flabbergasted, the water seeping into his shirt.

Stephanie grinned confidently, straightening up, and putting her hand closer to the water again.

He looked from his drenched shirt, to her, and his eyes flared with the challenge.

Ten minutes later they were sprawled on the thoroughly wet floor, laughing too hard to breathe. Stephanie had slipped on the dish soap that had been spilled all over Bruce's head, and after Bruce had completely soaked her, she had pulled him right down with her, where they proceeded to give into the laughter as small bubbles rose into the air.

Suds were everywhere, on her clothes, her hair, in his hair, on his nose. As the laughter faded, but the smiles grew, she reached over and got the bubbles off his nose, giggling as he quirked his mouth at her.

That was when his eyes caught hers.

The light was still there, bright, joyful, but honest, and openness had joined the emotions there. Stephanie could only feel those same things- honest, open, entirely open.

He was closer than he had been a moment ago, his eyes still fixed on hers, and now he was also apprehensive, along with happy and honest and open.

"Hey Steph, I was wondering-."

Bruce and Stephanie jerked back, away from each other.

It was Steve, walking into the room holding a DVD case in his hand, waving it around.

He froze when he saw them, wedged together in a mess on the floor, so close, except, nowhere near as close as they had been all of two point five seconds ago. He was immediately bashful, "Sorry. Um, I'll be out here, or, uh-."

And Steve left before he could finish the thought.

When Stephanie looked back into Bruce's eyes, they were downcast, no longer open.

She bit her lip, but tried to smile anyways.

Bruce chuckled to himself, shaking his head, and instead of meeting her eyes, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. She felt her heart flitter wildly, and she closed her eyes slowly, but then he pulled away, and was standing up all too quickly. Too soon. Couldn't they go back to that open look in his eyes?

Stephanie didn't want to move, but Bruce offered her a hand up.

She took it, but his hands were so slick with soap she felt back down against the cabinets with a laugh.

"Oh my -, I'm sorry-."

"No, no," she chortled, thinking back to when she'd first run into him, but then he was helping her up again gently, and pulling her to her feet that weren't ready to support her yet. He propelled her right into him, and she was staring right at his mouth-.

She pushed herself backwards, afraid that she was too close in his personal space, but almost slipped in the soap again- would her clumsiness never end? Thankfully she steadied herself against the countertop, but Bruce made to catch her anyways.

"Sorry," she smiled embarrassedly at him, waving him off, "I'm a klutz."

"Well, you kind of are," he told her, and she wrinkled her nose at him, batting at him. He flinched away, chuckling. "You," he looked towards the entrance, and then down again, "You should go see what Steve needs."

"You sure?" she questioned, wondering what that dark expression in his face meant.

"Yes," he nodded, gesturing at the direction Steve left in.

"I'll be right back," she promised him, and dripped away out of the room.

She slogged up to Steve, who smiled sheepishly when she glowered at him, "I am so sorry."

"You are so toast," she countered.

"I had no idea what was going on-."

"Yeah! But-," Stephanie slumped against the wall, "Never mind," she pushed her drenched hair out of her eyes. "So what's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to watch Saving Private Ryan with me," he asked, tilting his head at her, holding up the DVD case. "You said earlier you did. Doctor Banner can come to," he added, trying to make her smile again with his toothy grin.

And who could be mad at Captain America really?

She rolled her eyes, "Alright-."

"What happened to you, doll?" he half smiled at her.

"What?" she demanded in a huff.

He ruffled her hair, making the suds rise up again. She swiped his hand away.

"Hey Doctor Banner!" Steve called over the Stephanie's shoulder, "Want to come watch the film Saving Private Ryan with us?"

"Uh, sure," came the answer from the other side of the island.

Stephanie beamed up at Steve.

All was forgiven.

A/N: Hey guys!

If you didn't like the fluff, don't worry. Next chapter there will be angst. Lotsa angst. So, enjoy all! :D


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: First off, HAPPY NEW YEARS! :D I hope it was excellent, because mine was!

Alright you guys, I know it's been a while, and get ready for an emotional rollercoaster.

It's a little bit ridiculous, but please, bear with me-

Also, tell me what you think! I've loved each and every single one of your comments! Thank you so much for them!

And now, to continue. :D

Chapter 11

Stephanie giggled as she looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn't normally a giggler. No, normally she didn't even like gigglers. They were so… giggly. But now she could see the appeal. It seemed to alleviate the butterflies in her stomach, at least for a moment, but then they would come back in swarms.

She shook herself.

No giggling. This was ridiculous. She was twenty four years old, not some fifteen year old teenager that swooned at the sight of their crush.

She stood up, and moved to another, full length mirror, where she watched the person reflected back at her, who was wearing skin tone tights and a dress she could never have begun to dream to afford even after she got a distinguished job. It matched her eyes-

And her hair. Her hair was made into something she never would have done unless she was going to such a fancy wedding- or, dinner rehearsal in this case. She smiled at herself in a small way, not really sure if she could have been imagining herself in such a glamorous dress, or if it was just someone else standing on the other side of a pane of glass. But the image turned at the same time, and smiled and tilted her head at the same time.

"Stephanie?"

She almost fell over.

Recovering, she looked over and saw him. Don't swoon, don't swoon-

Too late. She was swooning. She was _worse_ than a fifteen year old teenager. She had to look away again, back at herself again to regain something- some sort of… composure. Yes. That was the word. Composure. Deep breath-

"Hey Bruce," she exhaled, turning from her image in the mirror to see Bruce walking in, wearing a very well tailored suit and looking incredibly dapper with his hands stuck in his pockets.

He looked so handsome, even with his tie undone, hanging lose around his collar, "You look be- great, you look great," he told her, eyes wide and bright.

Stephanie blushed. Yep. Definitely worse than a teenager, "You don't look so bad yourself," she grinned goofily. He chuckled his thanks, and she couldn't help but beam, before she pointed at his tie, "Need help with that?"

"You know how to tie a tie?" he asked her, sounding surprised.

"I know a lot of weird things," she grinned, sauntering towards him. She felt like she was allowed to saunter in heels, especially heels this high. She was almost eye level with him now in these heels.

She took hold of the ends, and crossed them like she had learned.

"You do this often?" he asked her, and she blushed, realizing how close she was to him.

No, no no, composure. She would have composure. "Go to rehearsal dinners?" she wondered aloud, very proud that her voice was perfectly level.

"No, tie ties," he wanted to know, and she could hear that slight smile in his voice.

She nodded, tilting her head a little as she pulled an end through the knot she'd created, "Often enough."

"And here I thought you were a psych major," he said, and his voice was so close to her ear she almost lost it. No. Composure.

"I am," she said informatively, probably too informatively, and then explained, trying to sound less business-like, "I did some work with an elderly man who liked his ties. He had a hard time with them with his Parkinson's."

"Ah, I see," his voice was soft, kind, and her stomach knotted too tightly for her to remember that word- the word that started with a c- cam, com- something. What was that word? She couldn't think-

Composure. Right.

"Yep," and her voice came out higher than it normally did, "he had a bunch of them. My favorite was the orange one, with yellow polka dots." She stepped back away from him, admiring her handiwork. Not bad, considering she'd lost most of her mental stability for a few seconds there.

He looked down at the black tie, before looking back up at her again, tentatively, "Thanks- thank you," and he smiled that slight smile that made her smile right back at him, "You ready to go?"

"Well, I've never been to a rehearsal dinner before, so," she shrugged, signifying that she might or might not have been ready, because honestly, she didn't know. She felt as ready as she'd ever be, she guessed, slipping on her heels, scuffing until one of them finally fell into place.

"-never been to a rehearsal dinner before? Don't you live in Utah? Utahans marry young, don't they?" Bruce was surprised, offering her a hand as she half stumbled forward, realizing too late the stubborn shoe wasn't exactly on right.

Stephanie chortled, taking his hand before bending over to settle the blasted shoe on her foot properly this time, "Yeah, but when they all get married they do weird breakfast things after instead of before. So, no, I've never been to a rehearsal dinner." She straightened up, and smiled in apology.

He shook his head at her, "I'll walk you through it," he smiled, placing his hand at the small of her back as he guided her out.

"Is there a lot to walk through?" she was nervous now, trying to keep up with his stride in her heels.

"More like jumping," he smiled at her as they made their way to the elevator.

"Threw hoops?" she teased, though bit her lip at the same time.

He pushed the button to go down, "Exactly."

"Precisely," she murmured proudly under her breath.

He looked down at her, "Hmm?"

"Just a favorite book of mine," she told him, and stepped into the elevator. He followed suit, pushing the button to the right floor. He fell back, and looked down at her. She smiled brightly up at him, and he followed suit, his eyes soft.

The doors opened all too soon, and light met her eyes as she blinked into the absolutely beautiful room. "Wow," she breathed, eyes wide trying to take in all of the splendor at once. There was so much clean, soft yellow light in the room that seemed to make the walls twinkle, and the three tables that had been set up were conglomerated together so neatly and pristinely she couldn't believe it. The table settings looked so fancy, and the ornaments were so tasteful- it was the fanciest party she'd ever heard of, let alone been to.

"I know," he muttered back, leaning down a bit.

She looked up at him, still dazzled, "It's-."

"Ridiculously expensive?" he prompted.

"-so gorgeous," she finished instead.

"That too," he agreed, though there was a spark in his dark eyes, a joke that she didn't quite catch. He offered her an arm, and she took it easily.

"Pepper looks stunning," she nodded towards Pepper, who was wearing the most beautiful sleek dress she'd seen, standing graceful and tall, radiant. "Well, she is Pepper Potts, so I shouldn't be-."

"Soon to be Pepper Stark," said a man in uniform, stepping up to meet them with a tall glass of champagne in his fingers, "Hey Bruce!"

"Hey, Colonel Roads," Bruce nodded at him, offering a hand, "Is it, Colonel now?"

Stephanie glanced up at Bruce. Was it just her, or had he just tensed under this man's gaze.

"James, and yes it is," Colonel Roads, or James, said, taking his hand firmly, and shaking it, "It's good to see you again," he smiled cordially, "And I don't believe we've met." He extended his hand towards her.

"Stephanie. Stephanie Haven," Stephanie shook his hand politely, noticing the Air Force patches on his uniform with a hint of distaste.

"What? Did I spill something already?" he chuckled nervously, removing his hand.

"No," she shook her head, and smiled jokingly, "You're just Air Force."

His face darkened, "Do you have something against the military?"

That surprised her, "No, not one bit," she shook her head quickly, "My father's in the Army."

"Army brat, then?" The same distaste was in his voice. Useless, overpaid pilot. Her dad could fly a much more useful piece of attack aircraft, an Apache Long Bow helicopter.

"Original," she said flatly, but smiled nonetheless.

"A ha ha," Bruce patted her hand, the one that was in the crook of his arm, "We're going to go sit down, Colonel Roads." He was moving her away.

"It was nice meeting you, Army Brat," called the Colonel.

"I'll tell him who's the real brat," she muttered under her breath, waving politely.

"Hey hey hey," Bruce said as they approached a table, "I called you Army brat once."

She didn't meet his eyes, "It's different, coming from the Air Force- stuck up, overpaid, waste of-."

"Hey," Bruce interrupted soothingly, catching her by the arm and turning her to face him. Too late she realized how ridiculous she sounded.

"Sorry," she shook her head, feeling her hair wobble a bit on her head, "Overreacting. Um, do we get assigned seats?" She pointed towards the name placements by each table setting.

"Yes, yes we do," he nodded, gesturing to his left, "And-."

"Banner! Lady warrior! How are you this evening?" Thor clapped a hand on Bruce's shoulder, grinning down at Stephanie. She grinned back. Thor still didn't remember her name. Well, he was royalty. He probably didn't have time to remember people's names, especially if they were peasants.

"Great," Bruce replied, and Stephanie almost didn't hear the annoyance in his voice.

"You're- in a suit," Stephanie was not sure how to take it in. After seeing him in his full armor, this just seemed so- modern? It was too weird, with his hair combed back and quaffed- not that he couldn't have been in a Pantene commercial already, but now it was even more stunning. She wondered if these Avengers had make up people, coming in and then techs to cg their flaws. Did they even have flaws? Bruce certainly didn't…

"Yes," he looked down at himself, a mixture of confusion and pride on his face, kind of like, I-can-pull-anything-off,-even-this, "It's a Midguardian custom, according to my lady Jane. Though it is a little- erm, the word used is, stuff-y, am I right?"

"Yes, that's right," Stephanie told him confidently.

"This coming from the guy who wears armor on a daily basis," Bruce muttered into Stephanie's ear, who grinned.

"Where is your lady Jane?" Stephanie wanted to know, smiling at Thor now.

"She's speaking with Doctor Asa, over there," and Stephanie followed his gaze.

Stephanie blinked at the beautiful woman in her light pink dress that fell to the floor, trailing a bit as she turned to look at Thor with a kind smile, "Wow she looks-."

"Ravishing." Thor's word caught her off guard.

She grinned, looking up into his face, "That pretty much sums it up, yeah."

Not to mention Asa, who looked positively gorgeous in her dress, standing elegantly in a pair of delicate heels.

"You, lady warrior, you look beautiful yourself this night. And you are taller," he sounded confused at that, catching Stephanie's attention again.

"Yep," she stated matter of factly, and pulled up one of her feet to show him, "It's heels," she explained.

"Heels," Thor bent over to take them in, not sure what to make of them, "They are similar to what my lady Jane is wearing- they make Jane more-, less-."

"If you were going to call me clumsy I _might_ have to hurt you," it was Jane Foster, taking Thor by the very muscular arm so that he stood up straight again, her tiny hands prettily resting there, "Hi. Dr. Banner," she addressed Bruce kindly.

"Bruce, please," he nodded at her, "And how are you doing Dr. Foster?"

"If I'm going to call you Bruce, you have to call me Jane," she giggled a bit.

"Alright then, Jane," Bruce smiled. Stephanie, who'd thought she liked Jane, was suddenly feeling less pleasant about the matter. What was wrong with her tonight? Not liking an Air Force Colonel and a doctor of astrophysics in one night?

"Hi," Stephanie extended a hand, trying to placate herself, smiling, "I don't think we were properly introduced, er, last time, I guess it was?" Last time in this case meaning that they had all been pulverized and broken down a few buildings in the process.

"You're Stephanie, right? The lady warrior?" Jane said, not removing her hands from Thor's arm, "Thor told me about you."

"Oh, yeah, well," she let her hand fall away awkwardly. Maybe Jane Foster was a germaphob. She was a doctor after all. Stephanie turned back to Thor, not sure how to address Jane Foster further, "I just thought you were calling me Lady Warrior because you didn't remember my name."

"No, I know of you now. I shall not forget it again," he told her kindly, those dark blue eyes of his sparkling. Yep. Had to be CG.

And maybe the god did learn peasants' names after all.

"Oh really?" Jane beamed up at him, before looking back to the other two, "Well, I think we're going to go sit down now."

"Farewell!" Thor called back to them, following his lady Jane's lead as she all but marched him away.

Stephanie waved, "Um," Stephanie's eye brows raised as she looked back to Bruce.

Bruce just laughed.

"Was it just me?" she wanted to know, feeling guilty, like she'd done something wrong.

Bruce shook his head, "No, it wasn't just you. I think Pepper has you sitting here," he gestured at a chair.

"Where are you sitting?" she asked immediately, looking up at him with concern.

He nodded, "Across the table."

"Oh," Stephanie looked at the seats next to her, "But how am I supposed to figure out what to do if you're not telling me," she sighed, "If only I knew Morris Code."

"You don't?" his eyebrows knit together.

"You do?" hers raised again in surprise.

"Yes-," his mouth twisted up at the side.

"You'll have to teach me," she beamed excitedly.

"In the meantime we'll have to use smoke signals," he told her with a grin.

"Oh yes," she agreed in mock seriousness, "And spell out words using our vegetables."

Bruce wrinkled his nose a bit, "You know, that sounds-."

"Have you seen Tony, Bruce?"

It was Pepper. Up close she was dazzling. Her makeup was glamorous, her beautiful hair was done up into the prettiest conglomeration of knots Stephanie'd ever seen, but the look of worry on her face was enough to set Stephanie's stomach dropping.

"No, no I haven't-," Bruce shook his head, the worry on Pepper's face transferring to his.

"Can you help me look for him? Roady's already trying, but," Pepper looked away, back around at the room.

"I'll help you find him," Bruce assured her, before looking to Stephanie, "I'll be back soon."

"I'll be here," she smiled tentatively.

As she watched him walk away, she realized that the room had other of people. People she didn't know, or barely knew, all tall and utterly gorgeous and completely out of her league in society. They all half chuckled, backs straight and dresses and suits all perfectly places or pressed, champagne glasses tinkling together as the rolled them artfully in their hands. She was entirely out of place here.

She swallowed, folding her hands in front of her, and stood tall, hoping to see someone she knew well enough to approach as her back pressed into her seat. The two of them sat down together, and they seemed so engrossed in their, together-ness, Stephanie pulled away. But that put her out in the open, with people she didn't know.

She spotted one person she knew- Agent Clint Barton, and headed over to him, not wanting to stand out anymore. He didn't acknowledge her as she sidled up and leaned against the wall next to him, merely folded his arms.

"'Sup Clint," she teased. He didn't respond. She wondered if she'd crossed the line. But they had gone on that shopping trip together with Asa that once. Wasn't that enough for some form of realization that she too was a person? "Or should I call you Agent Barton, I'm not really sure."

"Shouldn't you be sitting down?" he wanted to know.

"The groom's missing," Stephanie told him, making a face.

Barton sighed, and pushed himself off the wall with his head, walking off into the crowd.

She frowned after him, "I didn't want to talk to you either."

"Going to look for him," he called over his shoulder as he strode away.

Stephanie shrugged. If someone was going to find Stark it would be him.

Someone placed their hand on her shoulder. "Doll!"

She jumped.

It was Steve. Thank heavens. "You gotta stop calling me that," she scolded, but her relief came out in her tone too much for it to be effective. Next to him, to her joy, was, "Oh my gosh, Beth, hi!" she gushed, and couldn't believe how pretty she was too. Stephanie must've looked like a bumpkin in comparison to all of these gorgeous people.

"Hi Stephanie," Beth smiled politely, hugging close to Steve.

"How have you been?" she wanted to know.

Beth grimaced a bit, "I've had better weeks."

"I'm sorry," and Stephanie meant it, "I hope it is getting better though," she smiled a bit, hoping it was true.

Beth looked up at Steve, "Definitely better."

His smile was soft in return, "Should we go find our seats-?"

"You're next to me," Stephanie declared, directing them back to their table.

Steve pulled out Beth's chair, nodding politely as he did so.

Beth grinned, and he rolled his eyes, but teasingly.

A joke she didn't know? Stephanie looked on curiously.

Beth met her confused gaze, "Oh, I just keep telling him that he's the reason chivalry isn't dead."

Steve gave Stephanie a sarcastic look, as though trying to convince her it wasn't true.

Stephanie grinned back at Beth, and agreed, before sitting down herself. Steve followed suit.

"I'm so glad we made it on time," Beth sighed, leaning forward so she could see Stephanie better. "I was sure I had made us late."

"Speaking of late, where's the happy couple?" Steve wanted to know.

Stephanie made a face, "They're, um, working on that."

"What happened?"

Just as Stephanie started to explain, there was a shout of laughter that caught everyone's attention.

"I'm here- I'm here!" declared a familiar, loud voice.

"Oh gosh," Stephanie couldn't believe her eyes.

There was Tony Stark, waltzing in, hands outstretched as he half stumbled forward, obviously drunk.

"I think they found the groom," Steve muttered, his face dark with dislike.

"Now the party can start!" he threw his arms up in the air.

Part of crowd hooted, and clapped, but Stephanie just bit her lip.

"Poor Ms. Potts," Beth whispered, sounding horrified as Tony hugged an affronted looking man. "Did you see?" she wanted to know to someone who had just pulled out a chair across from Stephanie.

"I'm still seeing." Stephanie recognized that voice. She pulled her eyes away from the Tony Stark spectacle and looked to him as he sat down.

"Bruce," Stephanie smiled at him in greeting, relieved.

"Who found him?" Steve wanted to know.

"Barton," Bruce said, pulled away from Stephanie's gaze by Steve's words, "And he's drunk."

"Couldn't tell," Steve said sarcastically.

"Really drunk," Bruce confirmed at the same time as Steve spoke, just as Tony laughed cross the room.

"Oh Pepper," Stephanie looked to the woman, who looked like she was fraying at the edges. "Should I-?"

"No, honey wait for a second," it was Asa, laying a hand on her shoulder before she sat down at their table.

"Tony can hold it together," Bruce said quietly, meeting Stephanie's eyes for a moment.

"You have more confidence in him than I do, Banner," Steve murmured, his eyes flashing at the very obvious center of attention.

"Well let's not exaggerate things," Bruce mumbled, taking a sip out of his water glass.

Stephanie snickered. Bruce threw her an appreciative glance, before their attention both went to the head table, where Stark had decided to take a seat next to Pepper. The other guests who hadn't already sat followed suit.

"Welcome, everybody," Stark stood right back up again, sloppily spilling some of his drink. The guests who were still walking paused, not sure what to make of the situation.

"Oh heavens," Stephanie wanted to bury her face in her hands.

"Brace yourselves," Steve grumbled, and Stephanie saw out of the corner of her eye Beth placing a hand on his shoulder.

"To my wedding rehearsal dinner, thing," Tony declared, raising his champagne glass, before stopping himself, and looking to Pepper, "I mean, our. Our, sorry Pepper de-darling."

"We don't make the speeches yet, Tony," Pepper told him, trying to sound sweet, but it wasn't really coming out that way. Maybe it had something to do with her facial expression.

"Oh that's right. That's later," Tony frowned, and then looked down to Pepper again, "But- I already started."

Pepper made a distressed face, "Tony-."

"Sorry everyone!" he waved his arms out again, "Enjoy your dinner! And such- ," he sat down abruptly, laughing rorcusly. The guests who had paused, were now on the move again, sitting and starting up hushed conversations, still looking to the head table.

"You did good," Pepper smiled as courageously as she could, patting his back.

"Thank you-," Tony grinned at her, and kissed her right on the cheek, only because Pepper had moved her lips out of the way. Pepper managed to smile as though it had been planned.

"Pepper handled that so well," Stephanie breathed, almost to herself.

"I wonder what it's going to be like tomorrow."

"I don't even want to know," Steve put his head in his hands.

"Ah c'mon guys, he wasn't that bad," Beth told them encouragingly.

"Beth you're a saint," Asa told her outright.

Beth shook her head, "No, I've just been to rehearsal dinners where it ended up a _lot_ worse."

"The night is still young," Bruce mused, taking another sip of water.

"Don't jinx this," Natasha said, sitting down at their table with a sour look on her face, "It's bad enough already."

Stephanie sighed, and looked up to the head table again.

Pepper was patting his arm, trying to soothe him into not drinking anything else.

"No but you need to drink-," he was saying, sloshing a glass at her.

"I think you've drunk enough for both of us," Pepper replied calmly.

How Pepper managed him so patiently Stephanie would never know. Stephanie didn't think she could ever really manage herself, let alone someone else, and Pepper was such a master at it. Hopefully it would last.

But, to Stephanie's surprise, throughout all of dinner, it did last. Tony Stark, was, civil. Well, as civil as he ever was. Of course Tony was loud, but Tony was always loud. It wasn't that unusual. Stephanie kept glancing up to check on them, and found Tony only chatting animatedly, and rather absurdly, but nothing completely disorienting.

Soon the whole room settled back into comfortable conversation.

An especially amiable conversation went around the table, and Stephanie was happy to listen, even if she didn't have much to say. She drank her water contentedly, and smiled at Bruce when she thought it was pertinent, or when she shared a thought with him.

Steve retold the watching of Saving Private Ryan, and how it was in some places inaccurate, but a good movie. It had broken Stephanie's heart to remember him crying at the end of the movie. Her father, who was also an Army veteran, had cried too, but Steve's tears had been all the more potent, since he had been there. He had seen it, and had really felt it.

She had wondered if he had survivor's guilt, but didn't ask, logging it away for later. It wasn't exactly light dinner conversation.

Thor struck up a bold retelling of a battle he'd once fought in, his voice carrying and regal, and it caught many people's attention so soon two other tables were listening intently. He just had such command when he spoke, it was intriguing to hear him weave so glorious a tale.

By the time they were done with appetizers, and the soup/salad course, (Stephanie had thought before the dinner that the soup/salad and appetizers were one in the same) that when they brought out the actual meal she was already full.

She bit her lip, looking at Bruce as a plate with a full lobster was put under her nose.

"Don't like seafood?" he murmured to her.

"No, it's not that," she smiled tentatively, "Is it bad that I'm already full?"

He smiled a bit, "You have another course to go."

Stephanie groaned quietly, and he chuckled.

"I don't even know how to eat this," she muttered, biting her lip again and looking to him for help. "It's so fancy."

"It's a dinner at Tony Stark's hosted by Pepper Potts." Natasha had overheard their conversation, and had decided to comment. She looked annoyed.

Stephanie wondered what she had said to annoy her so much.

Bruce showed her step by step what use, and showed her how they'd already opened up the lobster tail for eating, and how to crack the pincers with a device that she would have goofed off with if they hadn't been in so fancy a place.

Thankfully her lobster didn't have a lot of meat on him, though she felt so guilty to be eating him, with his eyes still in his head. He had a life once, living in sea weed and singing to mermaids. No. Sebastian was a crab. Thank goodness they weren't eating crab.

Stephanie saw Peter Parker too, weaving in and out, and was mostly very good at keeping himself out of sight, snapping pictures here and there, angling his camera, though most of his shots seemed rather candid. Then again, Stephanie was not a photographer, so she didn't know.

She smiled at him when she caught his eye once, and he rolled his eyes at her sarcastically, before smiling back. She made a face at him, feeling all of five, before turning back in feigned haughtiness, and continued her lobster.

There really was another course, and Stephanie was beginning to feel guilty about eating so much food all in one go when there were starving people in other third world countries, when there was a clinking sound, like a spoon on glass.

Two people had stood up, an elderly couple, who, while still fashionable in a more modest way, appeared less glamorous, one with graying strawberry blonde hair. The other had Pepper's nose.

Pepper's parents, Stephanie realized with a smile.

They started the round of toasting, thanking everyone that had been a part of the process, and helping their child, Pepper, get to where she was now.

To Stephanie's surprise, there was a sarcastic comment made by her father, a jab against Tony and his playboy tendencies, that made Stephanie furrow her brows and look to Pepper and Tony. Pepper glanced nervously at her father, and Tony looked unfazed.

There were more toasts, and more jabs at Tony about wondering if he'd ever stick to just one woman.

Stephanie glared at them all, watching Pepper look more and more anxious.

Finally, when one particularly annoying, and rather tipsy person said, "- I hope you can keep him reigned in, Pepper, because he's got a whole lot of horse power, if you know what I mean, " and when people laughed, he continued, bolstered by their apparent approval of him, "And he's been with a lot of pretty women, I mean, absolutely gorgeous women, because let's face it, when you're as good looking and as rich as Tony Stark, you're bound to get around," Pepper quietly excused herself, even though the guy was still talking.

It took a moment for most other people to notice, but Stephanie was on her feet, following her out of the door, and Colonel Roads was on his feet, making excuses for her, and starting to toast them himself.

Pepper was in the hall, hands acting like blinders on a horse as she breathed, muttering, "Get a grip- in and out, in and out, you can't cry, you're not supposed to cry-."

"Pepper?" Stephanie called to her. And then was surprised to find herself out there, with Pepper. Shouldn't one of Pepper's sisters be here, or maybe her mother? What on Earth was she doing-

But it was too late for that now. Pepper was hurting.

"Not going to cry, it's your rehearsal dinner- get a grip."

"Pepper," Stephanie said soothingly, laying a hand on her shoulder gently.

Pepper pursed her lips, her eyes overflowing suddenly as she looked up at the ceiling, "What am I doing?"

Stephanie looked at her in confusion.

"I can't seriously be marrying him-," she continued before Stephanie could try to think of something to say, "He's- he's the biggest- and he's known for sleeping around, and I'm definitely not the – but that doesn't matter- but it does matter."

Was Pepper Potts, having a break down? Did Pepper Potts have break downs? She was always so calm and collected.

"And he leaves his socks on the floor, and he snores when he sleeps, and no matter how many times I tell him he forgets to screw the cap on the toothpaste-."

She was venting- venting just like a normal person.

Stephanie smiled a bit, laughing lightly, "Everyone has quirks, Pepper-."

"Quirks? He'd live off of caffeine and alcohol and Mentos if I left him alone, and he's working, working all the time, into odd hours of the night, and he doesn't tell me anything because he doesn't want to freak me out- ok, he does tell me things, but when he fights I get so nervous, so nervous I can't stand it-."

Stephanie stroked her back softly.

"And he's been with so many women- he's bound to get bored- and I can't believe, I can't marry him-."

"Yes you can," Stephanie told her quietly, truthfully, and she herself was so surprised she'd spoken up, she almost didn't continue, "You're a strong, bright, beautiful and all around intelligent woman. I've never seen anyone like you, and he hasn't either."

Pepper looked at her for the first time since she'd been out there in the hall with her.

"You're the woman that he's stayed with," she continued, not knowing where she was finding these words, but she hoped to high heaven that they would keep coming, "You're the woman he's counted on, the woman he knows will always be there, and the woman he wants to always have there. He's never been with anyone like you, with anyone as brave as you, with anyone as kind and good and brilliant and unwavering as you. Why do you think he asked you to marry him?"

Pepper shook her head.

"It's because he loves you," Stephanie smiled encouragingly, "You know exactly who he is, and that's something that most people never find in a person. Of course he wants to marry you. Sure, he's arrogant and self centered, but you're the only person that balances him out, the way he balances you out." She looked at her really then, steadily in the eyes, "You're the perfect couple."

Pepper's gaze was hopeful, "I-." And then she shook her head, laughing, "I mean, I've heard of pre-wedding nerves, but-." She stood up straighter, blinking at the ceiling as she steadied her breathing, laughing a little, "I- when they were talking in there, I just, lost it."

"A lot of people get cold feet," Stephanie told her warmly. "It's ok."

"Oh honey-." It was Pepper's mother, who finally had come to see to her daughter.

"I'm alright," and by now Pepper had mostly gotten herself back under control.

Stephanie bowed herself out as Pepper's mother continued to coax her back into herself again, and found her way back into the dinner rehearsal.

Everyone looked at her expectantly. She made an apologetic face, and hurried back to her table, where Bruce half stood just as she sat down, and then sat down again.

Bruce's gaze was penetrating as he mouthed, "Is she ok?"

Stephanie nodded.

Colonel Roads was still going on about how Tony and Pepper were the best of couples. Stephanie had to hand it to him. The man knew how to stall.

People at her table silently asked the same question Bruce had, and Stephanie reassured them to the best of her abilities.

When Pepper walked back in with her mother, looking much more composed and entirely tear-free, smiling politely at all those who were looking at her, Colonel Roads finally wrapped up his speech, saying, "To Tony and Pepper- two of the best people I know."

Stephanie, who hadn't taken more than a sip of water for each toast, now swallowed a mouthful. For some reason it made her think she was supporting Colonel Roads opinion more than she had the others.

This time Tony stood up, holding his champagne glass, "I guess I'll go next." He looked around at them all, "I know," and he paused to look down at the table for a second, "That my reputation isn't the best," and he tilted his head back and forth, "And I deserve it, because let's face it, I wasn't the most reputable." People laughed kindly, and he shook his head, "I wasn't. It's actually one of the reasons I hired Pepper on. She wouldn't sleep with me."

Stephanie's eyes widened at that.

"She kept it very professional, which, honestly, threw me for a loop, because let's face it, who can resist me, I mean come on." People laughed again, and Stephanie rolled her eyes at his arrogance. "I hired her, and I've never regretted it. She's kept me in line, she's kept me, from deteriorating into something no one would ever be able to fix, except for her.

"And you know what's really been the best part of all of this-. I mean Pepper of course, but getting to know someone that wasn't me, that, wasn't just another selfish person trying to get what they wanted out of me- she actually cared about me, which is hard, I know. I live with me, so I know. When I finally wrapped my brain around the fact that I cared about her, I," he looked at Pepper, and then down again at the table, before up at the room, "I didn't know how to react. But of course, by then, I'd almost lost her. Thanks to Vanko, because I think without explosives things might never have worked out again."

People laughed at that part too, though more tentatively, remembering the Stark Expo event all too well.

"It was odd, I admit, after dating her for more than, I don't know, a day, to have her still there. By then I had a routine- and she broke it. I mean, she kept coming _back_. And if she hadn't been Pepper, I don't think she would have. She stayed with me, even though she knows, I'm, not the best guy to stay with.

"She stayed with me. For almost, what is it, five years now? Aren't most Hollywood couple remarried twice by then? She stayed with me for five years, waiting patiently until I could finally move my ass and realize what a great thing I had- I have. And hopefully will have, if she'll have me after tonight.

"She is the best thing I have, the one thing I really care about."

He raised his glass at her then, meeting her gaze, "Here's to my always, the one true constant in my life, Pepper Potts."

Everyone drank to that.

Stephanie felt herself clapping, and thankfully people joined in, because she would have just kept on clapping by herself, joy filling her to the brim and spilling over, literally, as she watched Pepper cry a few happy tears too.

Tony kissed her then, which only encouraged the cheering.

Stephanie didn't quite remember what happened after that. She was too much happy for the both of them to really do anything but go through the motions, talking animatedly, but she didn't quite remember what she'd said.

She found herself walking back to her room with Bruce, having used the stairs because the elevators were all full of people leaving, back to homes or hotels to wait for tomorrow morning. Or this morning. She wasn't quite sure.

Stephanie remembered too late why she couldn't remember anything- she'd had alcohol- the champagne- and she'd been so good about not drinking it.

Biting her lip, she realized now she had her heels in her hands, and Bruce was walking with her-

Oh no. Bruce was walking with her. And she was tipsy.

Or was she tipsy- she was walking – and then she tripped on her own two feet- that's right she had two of them-

She stumbled-

"I'm sorry," she said to him as she realized he was helping her stand, "I shouldn't have- I was so careful-."

He was laughing quietly, "It's alright-."

"Did I say good bye to Beth, because I wanted to say good bye to Beth. She's really nice-."

"Yes, you said good bye to Beth."

"Oh good, because I wanted to say good bye to her- do I say good bye to you too now?"

"Not yet, we haven't reached your room yet," he told her when she'd stopped, heading back for her.

"It's on this floor though, I think, isn't it?"

"Yes it is," he had a guiding hand on her back, coaxing her forward, "How much alcohol did you have?"

She looked at the dimmed lights on the ceiling, "I swear I only drank, drunk, drinked, a sip- Me and mix don't alcohol very well, no not very well at all."

"I see that."

"I never drink because of that-," and then she frowned, "Oh, I must sound like a person of silliness to you, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"There's no need to apologize," he told her.

"I'm such a light weight-."

"Yes you are," he grinned to himself.

"You," she said, stopping abruptly, and almost fell over again.

"Me?" he said, turning around to face her.

"You," she pointed at him, "You're really handsome," she tilted her head at him, "Really, really handsome," she smiled dizzily, "Thank you, for being handsome. And really nice. You're really nice too. And super smart, like, ridiculously smart-," she blinked, "I'm talking too much."

"No, no-."

She nodded, "Yes," she kept nodding, "Yes I am." She pointed down the hall with her shoe filled hand, "To my room! Before other, other silly things are said."

As they walked, she meant to lean over to him, but instead knocked right into him. She laughed as he steadied her, "You know, I won't remember any of this tomorrow?"

"You won't?" Bruce sounded surprised.

Stephanie shook her head, "Nope. When I drink I forget ev-erything."

"Don't you get hangovers?"

Stephanie shrugged, "Only sometimes. I'm lucky that way."

"Here's your room," he said opening the door to it.

"Alright," she smiled at him, and bounced up to kiss him on the cheek, missed entirely, and kissed the side of his nose, "Sorry!" she told him, before spinning into her room, "Good night!" she told him brightly, leaving Bruce bewildered outside.

Bewildered was a good word, she decided, closing the door, and undressing out of the dress. The dress was pretty, but she bet it wasn't pretty to sleep in.

She crawled into bed and sighed herself right into slumber.

When she woke up the next morning, she felt fine. Light had crept it's way over her as she had slept, and the sun felt warm on her back. She turned to meet the morning, yawning and stretching where she was, nestling back into a ball afterwards.

That was one thing she loved about Stark Tower. She could sleep as long as she wanted-.

Stark Tower-

Stark wedding!

What time was it?

She whirled around, looking at it-

It was only 9:30- the wedding started at 11.

She breathed a sigh of relief, settling back to calm her nerves.

Her head hurt- not head aching, but as though she'd been sleeping uncomfortably. She realized to her chagrin, that she had been sleeping with bobby pins in her hair for most of the night. She'd shaken some of them out, but it made her hair stick up in odd places she was sure. How had she forgotten to pull her hair out? Or wash her make up off?

She looked around her room, at the scattered shoes and her dress in a heap. That poor beautiful dress- would she had really have thrown it in a heap she wondered?

She blinked, thinking.

She thought really hard, trying to remember-.

Oh my gosh, she thought to herself. What did I drink-?

She bit her lip.

She couldn't remember most of last night- the last thing she remembered was Tony's speech, and she hoped she hadn't done anything embarrassing-. She remembered Bruce a bit, a bewildered Bruce.

Oh no! What had she done to him-? Had she said something ridiculously humiliating, like, the fact that she'd sucked her thumb until she was six, or the fact that she was head over heels for him?

She sincerely hoped not…

She showered, and found a dress to wear in her massively overstocked closet of too many things she didn't need, a different one, and to her surprise, it was even more beautiful than the first. She hadn't thought that was possible, and yet, she found herself spinning in front of her mirror, smiling brightly.

She left her hair mostly down this time, twirling some of it back along her head, and curling the rest, feeling entirely pretty as she put on fresh make up.

She felt less pretty though when Bruce didn't come to find her for the wedding.

At ten til eleven she made her way up to where she knew the wedding was going to be held, wondering what she had done last night to embarrass him.

Maybe she shouldn't go, she thought to herself as she took the elevator ride up to the wedding room alone. What if she had done something so ridiculous they didn't want her to come back? She had done something like that once, the first time she'd tried alcohol, at a party. Her roommates had been so embarrassed they hadn't taken her to parties after that.

"Jarvis?" she asked aloud, nervous.

"Yes, Miss Steph?"

"Am I still allowed to go to the wedding?" She'd rather know now then have to be kicked out and make an unnecessary scene at Pepper's wedding.

"Of course, Miss Steph," Jarvis sounded so matter of fact it reassured her into quietness, and the doors opened before she could ask anything else.

She stepped off, and followed the crowd down the hall to find that-

Pepper had outdone herself again.

Stephanie stopped at the entrance to take in the grandeur. A Stark Tower room now looked like the most beautiful, most open room she'd ever seen, with their cream and gold theme of colors splashed decoratively in the most appealing places, and the rows of benches were so gorgeous, with lines of cream and white-

Before she could take it all in she realized she was blocking the way for other people who wanted to come in. Embarrassed she made her way forward, looking for someone she knew to sit by. It was awkward, she thought to herself, to be so alone at a wedding, where she didn't know-

She saw Asa, who waved, and patted the seat next to her.

Stephanie smiled thankfully, and went to join her.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Stephanie said as she sat down.

"It's amazing what you can do," Asa agreed.

Before they could say anymore Steve and Beth were sitting down next to her, Beth in a pretty new dress that matched her skin tone perfectly and made her lips look bright and colorful. Steve looked pretty dapper himself.

"Where's Bruce?" Steve asked her after she'd paid them the proper compliments.

"I don't know," Stephanie shook her head, worry rising in her again, "Did I do something weird last night?"

"You were pretty,- um," Steve stopped himself, looking to Beth for support.

"Out of it," Beth supplied tactfully, "But you weren't bad."

"I wonder if I embarrassed him out of his mind," Stephanie was mortified at the thought.

"I think he walked you back to your room," Asa mentioned aloud.

Stephanie buried her face in her hands, "Oh great, then I definitely embarrassed him out of his mind."

"I'm sure you didn't," Asa put a comforting hand on her back.

"He's got two minutes," Steve said, glancing at his watch.

"Or he's not coming," Stephanie mumbled morosely into her fingers.

"Sorry I'm late-."

Stephanie sat up like a shot just as Bruce sat down next to Beth, and smiled at them, eyes catching on Stephanie's the longest, or what felt like the longest.

"You feeling ok?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," she said quickly, "How are you?"

"I'm-."

But the sound of music stopped them short.

People that had been milling around found their seats, and, Tony Stark, looking extraordinarily handsome in a tuxedo, walked to his place next to Colonel Roads, his best man, who grinned at him.

Tony nodded back, and looked solemnly ahead.

She wondered what was going through his head, just as a little flower girl flounced down the aisle, throwing rose petals.

There was a little ring bearer, and Stephanie couldn't help but grin at him all dressed up to the cuff-

It must all be Pepper's family, she thought-

The music deepened, signifying the moment for the bride to walk in.

Everyone's heads turned.

Pepper stepped forward, her father at her arm, and there was a gasp from the audience. The light that fell on her seemed to illuminate her, and as she glided forward she was a beacon of bright light.

Stephanie glanced back at Tony for a split second, and then did a double take.

He had been standing there, resolute before, hands clasped firmly, with a solemn face, but now, he looked breathless, and his eyes were only for Pepper.

Stephanie couldn't believe it- she would never have guessed that the great Tony Stark, could look so awestruck. She grinned, and then looked back at Pepper.

She was smiling right back at Tony, meeting his gaze knowingly.

Stephanie looked back at Tony, and he'd regained his composure, countering her smile with one of his own cocky ones.

Tony took Pepper as her father handed her off, and walked towards the minister- or was he a minister? Stephanie didn't think Tony was religious, but was Pepper?

She didn't really think about it after the service started.

The service was beautiful, even though Tony inserted one or two comments. Pepper nudged him once when he became too fidgety. Stephanie couldn't help but smile at that.

When they kissed, there was a roaring applause, and a cheer went through the crowd. Tony the ever ridiculous attention seeker, bent her clean over like in the movies, and was rewarded with wolf whistles. Stephanie could only giggle at him, and keep clapping.

The wedding moved seamlessly to the reception, and Stephanie could only wonder at Pepper's handiwork. She was a party planner out of legend- she had to be. The theme was still the same as it had been the night before, all the graceful elegance and poise transferred classily into something more appropriate for the day time, since light was streaming in from a wall of windows, illuminating the room.

People milled about, but the Avenger team stayed together mostly, Stephanie talking happily to Beth, asking her how she'd met Steve, which had incidentally happened at that very café where the fight between her and Peter had started, and how she and Steve had kept in contact, while Steve and Bruce kept their conversation a little lighter, and much less girly.

When Pepper and Tony started the first dance, everyone's attention turned to them.

The song was perfect, sweetly played by a string orchestra, accompanied by a pianist.

Stephanie shouldn't have been surprised by how well Tony could dance. He kept it simple, but he kept rhythm, and he seemed too distracted by Pepper's smile, even though he pretended not to be. She could hear him talking, and Stephanie could only roll her eyes fondly.

Stephanie spotted Peter snapping pictures in the back ground with his fellow workers, but he didn't see her, too enveloped in his work.

After the first song, people joined the happy couple in their dancing.

After the second song, Beth took one final look at the dance floor, and then at Steve, before stepping in front of him, catching his attention.

He looked at her, eye brows raised at her determined face, "What?"

"Come on," she grinned, tugging his arm, and he bashfully followed, looking back to Stephanie, who waved after them as they stood at the edge of the dance floor.

"I- I can't-," Stephanie heard Steve say, looking awkwardly at his feet.

Beth seemed confused, "Can't what?"

"Can't, dance," he mumbled, and the expression on his face darkened.

"Truly?" her astonishment turned to a sweet smile, "And here I thought you'd be the best dancer."

"I never learned," Steve's face was still dark. Stephanie bit her lip. There was a story there.

"Here, I'll teach you," she told him easily, startling him when she grabbed his hand and put it at her waist. Stephanie grinned when she saw his embarrassment, giggling as Beth started to show him the steps to the simple waltz she turned away to find Bruce again, who was watching them as well.

"Drink, sir?" a waiter asked politely, holding a tray of champagne glasses

"No thanks," Bruce said, and when the waiter looked expectantly at Stephanie, she shook her head with a small smile of apology.

The waiter moved on.

"So, um," Bruce smiled shyly, looking away to the people waltzing, before looking back to her, "do you-."

Stephanie couldn't help but smile- he seemed to want to dance with her- and if he wanted to dance with her, she couldn't have been that weird last night, right? Maybe she'd done something encouraging, or, something clever?

He held out an inviting hand to her, and she just about put her own into it when-

"Bruce!" came a lovely voice from the crowd.

Both Stephanie and Bruce turned to look as a figure walked towards them. She was tall and extremely slender, with a beautiful mouth and bright, elegant eyes. Her dress was beautiful, flowing, sleek. She opened her arms for a hug, and Bruce barely had time to react before she hugged him gracefully.

Stephanie took a step back.

"Hi-," Bruce managed, obviously overwhelmed, "What are you doing here?"

"I don't know, actually, I just got the invite from Tony Stark himself yesterday, plane ticket and all," she smiled as she pulled away, "And I didn't think I could pass up a party like the Stark wedding, and there was nothing major going on in our lab- so I came. I can't believe I missed the wedding! Traffic was brutal. Was it beautiful?"

"Yeah," Bruce nodded in agreement, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"I believe it," she sighed sadly, and the noise was dainty- Stephanie hadn't thought sighing could be dainty, "Bruce, you clean up well," she patted down his shirt front, "I'd forgotten that. I'm so used to seeing you in a lab coat." She smiled at him, eyes glittering fondly.

Bruce shrugged, "It, it is a wedding."

"Yeah," the woman laughed lightly. She turned to Stephanie then, "I'm sorry, so rude. I just haven't seen Bruce since he left the states. What was your name?" She asked it so kindly, and she was so pretty.

"I'm Stephanie Haven," she said automatically, outstretching her hand and smiling a bit, "What's your name?"

"You haven't mentioned me?" the woman raised her eyebrows at Bruce surprised.

Bruce turned to Stephanie now, motioning, "Stephanie, this is Betty Ross."

"Please to meet you," Betty Ross said, taking Stephanie's hand delicately.

Stephanie just nodded back.

No.

It was her worst fear.

Betty Ross. And she was every bit an Elizabeth. She was tall, beautiful, and kind looking. If she'd been mean looking maybe then Stephanie could have justified her jealousy, but this…

"Your dress is beautiful," Betty told her, and she sounded sincere.

"Thank you," Stephanie replied, trying to match her kindness, "And you look absolutely gorgeous." And it was every bit the truth.

"How did you two meet?" Betty pointed her finger in between the two of them.

"At an airport actually, on the way here," Bruce smiled at Stephanie, and she took a little comfort in that.

"Oh really?" she wiggled her eyebrows at Bruce, and even that was still elegant, "So you know the Starks then?" she looked expectantly at Stephanie.

Bruce came to her rescue again, "It's a little more complicated than that."

Betty batted her small purse at Bruce, "Let her speak."

Speak? Her?

Oh right. Mouth. She had one, and it was a little bit open in awe. She must've looked like an absolute idiot.

She smiled automatically, and stepped back, "Actually, I'm going to let you two catch up."

"Oh no, don't say that," Betty said, her eyebrows knitting so prettily.

"Yeah, you guys should go dance. I've got to get something to drink-." Something very strong to drink.

"I can go get you something," Bruce offered, motioning to the refreshments table.

"No, no," she smiled falsely, "That would defeat the purpose."

Bruce shook his head slightly, eyes darting over to Betty and back to meet hers. Somewhere she knew she should process what that was, but at that moment she could not for the life of her figure out what he was trying to tell her. She just had to get out, get away. She took another step back, accidently bumping into someone and apologizing.

"You'll come back right?" Betty asked, sounding genuinely concerned about her.

"Of course," she lied.

"Alright then," Betty looked back to Bruce worriedly.

Stephanie turned away, ready to run. Figuratively speaking, at least if she could hold it together.

"Stephanie," Bruce's voice made her pivot on the spot. He gazed at her fixatively, eyes trying to penetrate her thoughts. "You'll come back?" he nodded encouragingly.

"Sure," she smiled through her lie, and made a break for it.

"I didn't mean to scare her off," she heard Betty speaking, "Though I gotta say, Bruce, she's a little young."

"No, it's-."

But their conversation faded into the crowd, and for that, she was glad, because she had to get out.

She moved towards the refreshment table, and from there she would make a plan of action. The elevator was across the room, across the dance floor.

Her knees were weak as she finally made it to the refreshment table.

Drink, drink-

But all that was there was lemonade or something-

Her dry throat needed it anyways. She took a glass, and swallowed it in one gulp. And as she put the glass down, it seemed all too heavy.

The energy was all sapped out of her, as though someone was draining her blood from her vein, like someone had turned up the gravity in the room. And in Stark Tower, that actually was probably possible.

She found them in the crowd. They weren't hard to spot, since they were on the edge of the non dancing people. She watched as a particularly pretty waitress offer Bruce and Betty (their names were an alliteration, even more reason they should be together) champagne glasses, which Bruce at first declined, but when the waitress insisted, he took, looking surprised at her enforcement. He clinked glasses with Betty and took a swig after the waitress left.

She looked away from them. She couldn't stomach it. She watched the waltzing people, their beautiful colorful dresses swirling around and around…

Staring out into the distance, her heart sunk into her stomach as her throat was all the sudden too dry. The feeling was so gradual, like a feather falling to the Earth that it took forever for her to name it.

Abandoned. Abandoned, disregarded, rejected- she supposed if she'd read it in a book the word would be jilted.

It wouldn't help to have a thesaurus running through her head.

She leaned back against the cold wall for support, and remembered real life. Remembered that she wasn't the heroine of this story, and that this really wasn't her reality- she was just trouncing around in it. This was the Avengers- their reality. They were the heroes- he was the hero. And the hero got the girl he'd always wanted.

"So I saw this dark cloud," said a voice next to her. She jumped, startled, and looked around at Peter, holding a camera aloft, but he wasn't looking at her, "And, I followed it."

"Am I supposed to be the dark cloud?" Stephanie asked dryly.

"No, no," he shook his head, scanning the crowd once more before turning to look at her, "It's right- there," he poked a spot above her.

She made a face at him, before finding Bruce amongst the people again. She could spot him with ease- and she wasn't sure if she liked that right now, because next to him, was Betty, laughing, her smile so full of brightness she couldn't believe it. She was supposed to be a scientist, wasn't she? And yet, here she was, gorgeous beyond all belief. Pretty scientist- wasn't that an oxymoron? But then again, so was handsome scientist, and there was Bruce, handsome as all get out.

She looked away from the couple, down at her feet.

"I had almost completely forgotten about her," Stephanie whispered to the ground. Memories flashed through her head, just of the last couple of days. No wonder Betty had escaped her thoughts. Bruce, everything, had been so completely… wonderful.

"Hey, hey, hey, what's this?" Peter's voice demanded, elbowing her hard.

"Ow!" she glowered up at him, rubbing the pain out of her arm.

"Oh don't even," he rolled his eyes at her glower, "Don't."

"Don't what?" she demanded.

He shrugged, shaking his head at the same time, "Don't, do that whole, pout thing. It's not you. Like at all." He turned his camera towards her, and with a snap the bright light of the camera blinded her.

She blinked spots out of her eyes, trying to focus on him, "Hey!"

"Hey what?" his voice was all too positive, "Pouting's just not everyone's, thing."

"Oh really?" she wanted to know, getting in his face.

"Yeah really," he pulled away from her, only to bring the camera in her face again, and the flash deflected her gaze, and then there was another, and another, "I'm going to keep taking pictures of you until you smile."

"Peter- hey! Blinding me isn't going to help-!" she called through the bombardment of bright light.

"At the corner, right there- I think I saw something," he said, taking picture after picture.

"Peter!" she tried to hide her smile with a face, and it wasn't working so well.

"A ha! I found it!" he declared, and with the cheesiest of cheesy smiles he wrinkled his nose at her, "Work it!"

She had closed her eyes at this point, "I'm going to punch you in the face."

"She will too."

"Steve," Stephanie sighed in relief as he walked up.

"Hey Doll," Steve replied, patting her head, probably because it was too done up to ruffle.

"Doll? Really?" Peter sounded annoyed.

The flashing had stopped, so Stephanie peeked her eyes open to see Steve demanding, "What?"

"That's just, st-," Peter stopped himself, licking his lips before announcing properly, "ridiculous."

"Yours isn't much better," Steve accused.

Peter rolled his eyes, "You don't even know-."

"'Sunshine'?" Steve said with a deadpanned look.

Stephanie held up her hands, "Hey, anything's ten times better than Angel Face."

"What was that, Angel Face?"

It was Stark. Stephanie looked away from him as he slung his arms around Peter's and her shoulders.

"Go away," she told the floor. It was all his fault Betty was here. She shouldn't be here. It had all been so wonderful until she had come- and maybe she was being optimistic, but it had seemed like Bruce had been about to ask her to dance. No that was absurd. But either way. If Betty hadn't come, she would still be talking with him at least. And now, since she couldn't be mad at Betty, because there was nothing to blame her for, except that she was too pretty or too kind, Stephanie could use Stark as her outlet. And she would do so, quite happily.

She could still see his hand out of her peripheral vision. And even that was annoying.

"What did I do? Hell, it's my party," he told her, actually sounding astonished, trying to look into her face, but she wouldn't let him, "You can't be mad at me-."

Stephanie rounded on him, her foot ready to swing right into his shin, "I'll be as mad as I want-."

"Want to dance?" Steve asked, offering her a hand.

"I would love to," she told him, taking his hand, and letting him pull her from Stark's grasp and into the throng of waltzing people. She sighed in relief, looking towards the crowd as they moved with the string quartet and pianist, "Thanks Steve."

He smiled down at her, raising his eyebrows, "I think there would be too much commotion if the groom got kicked by one of his guests."

"You saw that, huh?" she mumbled, abashed.

"Yes I did," he stated matter of factly.

"Sorry," she told him. She hadn't meant to cause a fuss, and honestly, she shouldn't be mad at Stark. It was his wedding. And bringing Betty here was obviously just a wakeup call for her. Honestly, she should be thanking him, not making him her scapegoat.

She couldn't focus on that right now, or she'd fall right back to where she had been before Peter had pummeled her with picture taking. Steve was dancing with her. He was missing his partner. Yes. Focus on Steve. It would be easier that way. He made a face at her, before he spun her in a circle, shaking her out of her reverie entirely.

"Well you've become quite the natural," she told him, "for not being able to dance."

Something, a painful memory she thought, caught at him, and he looked away from her, "Beth's a good teacher."

"I bet she is," Stephanie murmured, feeling bad for bringing it up, "Where is Beth?"

"Over there, waiting for me," Steve nodded, and Stephanie looked over to see Beth chatting with a few people, one of them Asa, right before glancing over at them. She waved when she caught Stephanie's eye, and Stephanie waved back, before she looked up at Steve guiltily, "Don't worry," he reassured her, "She understands."

Stephanie's eyes travelled to Beth again, who was now laughing at something Asa had said, "She's really nice."

"Yeah, she is." And Stephanie couldn't help but love that softness in his eyes as he gazed at Beth, who smiled for Peter as he snapped a picture of both her and Asa.

"You're gonna do right by her, aren't you?" Stephanie demanded of him, and realized too late that she'd had a bit of accent to her voice.

Steve grinned as he recognized it, "You're starting to sound like me, Steph."

She waved him off, "Are you?"

"Of course I am," he told her, looking back to Beth, "She's one beautiful dame."

Stephanie made an accusing noise, making Steve look back around at her, "Don't you use that slang around me."

"You didn't even know it was slang until I told you!" Steve defended, holding her away from him, trying to avoid her mock glare with a twinge of a smile.

"Um." It was Bruce, tapping Steve's shoulder, holding that empty champagne glass. Steve looked around at him, halting their movement. Bruce looked almost embarrassed, but there was some courage in him. "Would you mind, if I cut in?"

Steve looked to Stephanie for an answer.

And she realized she would have to make one.

Impulse took over- any excuse to be near him won over any anger. She nodded once.

Steve made an "are-you-sure?" face.

Her body was pulling her away from Steve before her face could reply.

She was facing Bruce, who now had a problem- there was a champagne glass in one hand, and he needed both of his-

"I'll take that," Steve told him, a little too stiffly.

Bruce thanked him softly, before taking Stephanie's hand, and then, her waist. She felt Steve move away, and she wanted to ask him to wait, to make sure to have a safety, but he couldn't just stand there watching them. Could he? Maybe? Too late, he was gone.

"I'm sorry," he told her, with a shy smile, one that she loved, as he looked at their feet, trying to catch the rhythm, "It's been a long time since I've done this."

She should be angry at him, she realized too late. She should be furious, she should want to throw up walls, more walls then she was throwing up, but-

"It's- fine," she smiled, looking away as he looked up, so as not to be caught staring.

This was stupid. Stupid. Way too much drama at once and not enough time to think. Weddings. She had such a love hate relationship with them. This one would definitely go down on her hate list, even though she had never had such a pretty dress, even as a bridesmaid-.

"You look," Bruce said, trying to start up a conversation again. She looked to him then, eyes wide and wondering, and he inhaled sharply, as if surprised. He had to shake his head, and look away from her with that smile again, "Ab-absolutely, beautiful. Except I already said that."

"Thanks- thank you," she tried to sound more genuine the second time, but it didn't really work. What was the point of being called beautiful by someone who didn't care about you the same way you did them? she wondered.

He started to speak again, "I know what it looks like," he told her, and lost count of the music, so he frustratedly had to start it up again, before trying to start the conversation again, "I know -," he broke off, glancing over at where he and Betty had been.

Beautiful Betty. That was who he should be calling beautiful, because it was true. It should be Bruce and Betty. Bruce and Betty Banner. It was too cute sounding for it to be not true- "Stephanie-?" she hadn't realized she'd stopped dancing, and she knew now she didn't want to dance with him anymore. He deserved someone as pretty as Betty- someone as kind, and whose real name was Elizabeth. She pulled away from him, but he caught her arm, gently, "Stephanie wait," he said, helping her turn back around to face him, before he caught her eyes, holding them there, "Please."

"It's," she shook her head, and that broke the eye contact, "I-," she looked at their feet, "I can't-."

"Just hear me out," he asked her imploringly, "Tony- Tony's behind this, has this idea, that, Betty-," he nodded over to her, "And, she's not, she's not," he was shaking his head.

He wasn't making any sense, and it wasn't helping that her head wasn't making sense either, "What?"

"She's married," he told her, "She's been married for half a year now, and it was long overdue."

Stephanie blinked, "But-."

"Tony didn't know. I didn't bother to tell him-," he shrugged, looking away from her, "I didn't want him to set me up, with anyone, he picked." He smiled, at the corner.

"So." Her head really was spinning now, and there was no sense to it, except she felt hope rising in her chest, swelling there-.

"Would you believe me," he said, and the hand that had caught her arm now slid down to catch her hand instead, and then he gazed straight into her eyes, "If I, if I told you that I want," and his eyes were clear, so open and honest, and true, "I want you."

Her breathe caught. She could only look up into his eyes in open astonishment.

He started to back pedal, as though he thought he'd said too much, "To come with me. If I need you to, or if you want to. Do you-?"

"Yes!" she cut him off by accident, and she couldn't believe it. All in two minutes her heart had gone from drowning to soaring, and she still wasn't sure how it was happening but she knew the answer automatically, "Yes, yes-." But there was something else she was supposed to be saying, but he knew what she meant somehow.

"Yes," and the smile that broke over his face was breathe taking, and his eyes were so bright, "Yes," he repeated, and the smile was quieter, but still just as happy and honest, "And, every day I've felt this way. Since you came," he looked away, and she realized at that moment that she was hanging on his every word, like she never had before, "I just," his eyes flickered back to her, "I wanted you to know. Before you, thought…" he smiled a little grimly now, "Thought otherwise."

"You know, I wanted- I," but she couldn't find it in her, the words that she was supposed to say now, that she needed to say at that moment, "I-."

Behind her the waitress, the pushy one from before, moved through the crowd of waltzing people, catching Stephanie's eye over Bruce's shoulder as she passed by them.

"I what?" and his voice brought her back to him.

Words. Words. "I-, it's, and you-." Where were the words?

"What? What is it?" he wanted to know.

"I-. I," and she smiled helplessly. No eloquence from her today, "Bruce."

He grinned at her, "I know, exactly what you mean."

She could only beam back.

She was so happy. So completely and incandescently happy. She opened her mouth to try again, just as he did, and they both stopped, and then both laughed, before he started again, "You're, you know, you're just-."

But he paused, and flattened a hand against his chest.

She looked up at him, worried.

Suddenly Bruce jerk forward violently. Stephanie had to step back as he doubled over, his muscles straining, "Bruce?!"

He looked up at her imploringly, clamping down on her arm, before he closed his eyes, his jaw taut, "I don't know what's-!"

She shook her head, reaching out to him, "What's-,"

He flung back, his spine arching too far as his hand clutched at his throat.

"Bruce!" she cried, catching at his shirt with her free arm, "Br- what's wrong?!"

"Stephanie!" and the seams of his jacket ripped at his shoulders, "Make it stop-!"

Instantly she knew- she called on the draw within her- and she felt it surge towards her hands, taking his face and twisting her arm in his grip to reach for his forearm-, but it didn't breach- there was an impulse in him, a shield, not normal, "I, I can't-!" she panicked, trying again, more force, pushing her energy, but there was a barrier, alien, foreign, not Bruce, or the Other Guy, alien, "Bruce I can't-."

The roar the rent the air nearly burst her ear drums. She cried out, trying to pry her arm from the massive fist that was crushing her bones to dust. He was growing, his tuxedo shredded to pieces, and she could only stare, stare in horror, not comprehending, why it hadn't worked, why she hadn't worked and all the while he was changing until-.

The Hulk looked down at her, teeth bared, and the fear stuck in her lungs, making it impossible to breathe. She gaped up at him, and couldn't make out the eyes they were so cast in shadow. He snarled, and it brought her out of a trance, struggling anew to break free. He clamped on her forearm, and she shouted in pain, before he hoisted her into the air, bringing her to his face, glowering at her.

"Please-," she whispered, "Let me go."

The Hulk growled low in his chest, and she could feel the rumble reverberate through her arm.

"You're crushing my arm," she told him, too calm, closing her eyes, concentrating on breathing, "Please."

"Bruce!" it was a woman's voice, "Bruce! Calm down- you're ok! No one is trying to hurt you-." It was Betty, standing still in the mass panic, calling up to the Hulk, hands cupped to her face. "You're ok!"

The Hulk rounded on her.

Stephanie knew what was going to happen before it did, "Betty, watch out-!"

The warning came too late. The Hulk's arm swung out, and knocked Betty backwards into the air. Her scream was cut short as Hawkeye snatched her, and tumbled to a stop with her folded expertly in his arms.

Before Stephanie could blink, though, something slammed into her stomach, wrenching her free of the Hulk's grip, and she was flying, right until she crashed into the ground, or not the ground. She fell on top of something. It took her a second to realize it wasn't something, it was someone. He rolled her over, so she was on the floor.

She couldn't mistake him though, "Steve?"

"You alright?" he panted, his comb over ruined and his tux rumpled.

She shook her head, realizing he was asking about her, "Yeah-."

Before she could say anything else, he was on his feet, rotating around to face the giant that was running for them.

Steve blocked a punch from the Hulk, grabbing his arm so he wasn't flung off of his feet- but the Hulk's other arm came around, and Steve was pounded into a wall.

"Steve!" Stephanie called, whirling to see what had happened to him.

But the Hulk was roaring down at her, frenzying to crush her.

Stephanie scrambled backwards, but she couldn't move fast enough.

Just as the Hulk's hand came down, something shoved her sideways, so she skidded across the floor, rolling her onto her belly. Before Stephanie could focus, Natasha was swinging her way up the Hulk's arm. She sat up, reaching an arm out to Natasha in alarm, but someone caught her hand.

Stephanie was pulled to her feet. She looked around to see Clint Barton, (hadn't he been forty feet away two seconds ago?), who momentarily studied her face, checking for something that wasn't there, before he half pushed her behind him, motioning wordlessly for her to run before he joined Natasha, pulling a small crossbow from his jacket. Where had he kept that thing?

"Steve!"

It was Beth, shaking Steve who was still collapsed on the floor, making sure he was alright.

"That's not how you should go about it," Asa called, dashing up to the two of them. Stephanie made to follow, but she was blocked by-.

"Tony!" she shouted, taking a step back to steady herself, and almost fell over because she was still in her ridiculous shoes.

"Hi, Angel Face," the Iron Man helmet slid over his face, helping right her. "Ready?"

She couldn't catch her breath, "It didn't work-!" she told him, shaking her head.

"I saw that," he said in a disappointed voice, before he asked, "Take two?"

She had to try again, "Sure," she swallowed, nodding at the floor determinedly, trying to prepare herself.

He spun her 180 degrees on her heels, and hoisted her up into his arms, before rocketing off to the riot, where the Hulk had just ripped the chandelier from the ceiling, and brought some of the ceiling with it right down onto Hawkeye.

Natasha Romanoff's face hardened, and she swung up from where she had been stuck upside down on the Hulk's bicep, and looped her arms around his neck. She had to pull herself up, before looping her legs around his neck, and she wrenched back on his hair.

The Hulk roared in pain, arcing back. Stephanie reached out to him involuntarily-

"Alright, Angel Face, you switch places with Agent Romanoff," said Iron Man in her ear, "You ready?"

"Ready!" the Agent called as the Hulk tried to grab at her, and she fought him off with one of the ornamental butter knives that had adorned the refreshment table, seemingly pulled out of thin air, jabbing at his fingers.

Stephanie didn't know if she could do it, but, "Ready-."

"I got the red head!" It was Peter- Spiderman, sounding all too chipper, swinging right by them just as Agent Romanoff extended a foot out for Iron Man to grab, and pulled her right off of the Hulk's neck.

Iron Man dropped Stephanie, but the Hulk moved, and she landed wrong, slipping down until she was halfway over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes-

The Hulk looked over at her, and growled, before he reached his hand over at her-

Stephanie slung her leg over one of his arms like she had seen Natasha do when she had swung herself onto his neck, her heel scraping him enough that he snarled- it gave her the time to lock her hands and ankles together, her heels clattering to the floor, and once more she tried, tried with all her might-

He roared, trying to pry her off-

A sticky substance sprouted over her forearm- webbing- Spiderman had swung by again, and was trying to keep her attached to the Hulk, trying to give her enough time as he sprayed the Hulk in the face with the stuff-

"Hold on Angel Face!"

She clung to him with all her strength as the Hulk tugged the webbing from his face, roaring at Peter angrily, and once more was trying to tear her off with his hands. She screamed when his nails dug into her skin, but she kept her hands firmly knotted together, the webbing that had spread over half her body all but welding her to the Hulk's skin, and she willed the transformation to work.

But it wasn't.

There was something there, something keeping her from turning off the switch, and it wasn't the Hulk, nor was it Bruce. It wasn't – natural-. Alien, wrong-

The Hulk finally snagged her from off his arm, webbing and all, pulling her around upside down to face him, when all of the sudden the Hulk was slammed backwards. Stephanie shrieked, crunching up into a ball as much as she could around his fist.

"Get the Lady Warrior free!" she heard Thor cry. "And then I will deal with Banner!"

The Hulk snarled at Thor, rounding on him, but the god flung his hammer into the Hulk's belly, and Stephanie felt herself being plunged backwards, heard a crash as she shut her eyes. The plunging didn't stop-.

She opened her eyes to the glass shards glittering like rainbows in the sunshine, and the open blue sky.

With a gasp, she found herself screaming as Stark tower left her view, and the road below flew towards them-

Something slammed her over the head, and everything went black.

A/N: Did I tell you or what? It was a rollercoaster right?

Also, longest chapter ever.

Also Also, your reviews have been seriously excellent, and I appreciate every single one of them! They've been so encouraging! Thank you so much!


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I know, I know, I'm the worst, I need to update more!**

**All of your reviews have been so encouraging! They have really kept me writing! Thank you so much for all your kind words and such!**

**You… are probably going to want to murder me at the end of this chapter. But hey! It's what would happen… sooo, try and enjoy, ok? :D**

Chapter 12

Stephanie woke up on cement floor. Groggily, she pushed herself up onto her elbows, but when the pain struck she slumped back down. She gasped, catching her breathe at the surprise. She looked around to find herself in what looked like an abandoned ware house of all places, almost as dark as unconsciousness had been.

How many times had it been now? Unconsciousness was just becoming such a common occurrence that she hadn't even kept track.

Stephanie swallowed, but her mouth was too dry. She ended up hacking up a lung, the dust puffing up around her.

She looked down then, at her dress, worried that the dust would ruin it- and realized it was too late to be worrying about dust. It was tattered, and frayed to the point of no return, webbing that Spiderman had used splattered and splayed all over it. She bit her lip guiltily. It had been so beautiful-

What had happened? She couldn't remember. One too many hits to the head.

There was a massive hole in the ceiling, with debris all around them and a place where something massive had landed next to her, the city night lights pouring through.

But the massive thing wasn't there now- and she had a suspicion she knew what massive thing had been there.

She remembered she hadn't been able to change him back- but, with how dark it was outside.

Now Bruce had to be back- maybe he was unconscious next to her?

When she looked around, to her surprise, there was a green hulking figure sitting next to her, watching her with dark eyes.

She eeped aloud, before realizing how stupid it was to make a noise, any noise. If the Hulk was out she had to move- had to act fast-

Before Stephanie could scramble away the Hulk plucked her up by the skirt of her dress, hauling her to meet his face as she dangled, unbalanced, and yelling her head off.

The Hulk barked at her wordlessly, and she stopped abruptly.

He stared at her, not angry, but annoyed.

"Um," Stephanie said, pulling her arms up so they weren't dangling, teetering slightly back and forth. She craned her neck so she could look into his face properly, "S-so."

The Hulk growled, and she cringed away, "Sorry, it's- I. Y-you and you're just- not going back, and so I don't know what to do, so, so, do you think you could, ya-you know, go back? Because, Bruce and I were talking, and, I kind of,-," but the Hulk just glowered at her, his expression unchanging. So she changed tactics, "Or we could talk." That almost pacified him. But- What did you say to an enormous green rage monster? "You know, I think you're incredible-."

He bared his teeth a little.

"Oh, I didn't mean that to be funny, I just think it's true, and so, here you are, holding me up and I think my dress is already enough of a mess, so maybe, if you put me down, I could, you know, think straight and stuff- if not's it's cool, we could just sit like this and talk-."

The Hulk's finger covered her face, and for a freak out moment, she thought he was going to suffocate her. But he removed his finger, glaring at her impassively, as though trying to tell her something. She took a few deep breathes, eyes wide, and she still didn't catch it. She looked up at him, and opened her mouth to speak again, to ask, but there was the finger in her face, pushing against her mouth and nose painfully hard.

When he pulled away, she clutched her nose with both of her hands.

And then, to her surprise, she understood what he had meant.

She stared up at him for a few moments, and then burst out laughing. He seemed caught off guard by this enough that she was able to get a few words in, "You're telling me to shut up, aren't you?" and she continued to laugh, almost hysterically, doubling over (which was easy when hanging almost upside down). She had known the Hulk was a man- creature- thing, of few words, but this, this was hilarious! And maybe with everything that had happened she was just so ready to break apart anyways, either in laughing or in crying, or both, in this case.

The Hulk- telling her to shut up-.

She opened her eyes gleefully, almost expecting Bruce to be laughing with her, but it wasn't Bruce. The Hulk seemed annoyed, with his head tilted back and his teeth bared, gleaming in the dim light.

She almost said, oh what very large teeth you have, but, decided that she didn't need a big bad wolf reenactment. And that almost made her laugh all over again. Slap happy- that's what she was.

She found herself tittering to a stop, swallowing a giggle back and asking him, "Why haven't you killed me yet?" before she could stop herself. She gasped, horrified- what if he just hadn't thought to do it yet? Maybe now he would! She was a total idiot- she looked up at him for confirmation-

He just stared at her.

"I thought you hated me," she continued on tentatively, perturbed by that stare, "And you had plenty of time to do it, so,-," the finger came up again, but she put her hands out, making him pause, obviously not wanting to touch her hands. "Sorry, I'm almost done- so, why didn't you? Kill me, I mean?"

Why was she still talking about this? Why wasn't she talking him into setting her down? Why did it have to be about him killing her? She was basically asking for it!

The Hulk looked away from her, to a far wall. "Other."

"Other?" She didn't know what he meant.

"O-ther," he tapped on his chest, annoyed that he'd had to repeat what he'd already so clearly stated.

"Oh," she understood, surprised again. She narrowed her eyes at him, cocking her head slightly, "Bruce?"

Her voice sounded so hopeful…

He nodded once, his whole body jerking, and she swung back and forth precariously, and she heard her dress rip even further. She gulped, looking up to his pinched fingers at her dress. It was in tatters, and covered with webbing, and she was sure it was going to tear in two any second.

"Um, could you, put me down?" she asked tentatively, and added with a toothy smile, "Please?"

He didn't acknowledge that she had spoken.

She pressed her lips together, "Please?"

He looked at her, his eyes suddenly vicious.

"Nevermind!" she waved her hands at him, "Um, so the, other? Is he, in there now? Can you hear him?"

A nod, and again she was swinging.

So Bruce was speaking- Bruce, trapped in there- "What's he saying?"

A shrug. More swinging. A precarious sounding tear at a seam.

Stephanie shook her head, trying to clear it, and trying very hard not to be irritated, "Don't you, normally, go back to, being, the Other? When he's not in danger?" She knew the answer- she was just hoping to get something spoken out of him.

Another nod.

That didn't work so great, "Well, um, how do we get him back?"

Another shrug.

This was obviously a very one-sided conversation. She sighed. "Well, this warehouse is pretty gloomy huh? Maybe we should go somewhere else?" Yes- leaving the warehouse would be essential. It would signal the Avengers- and then they would come after them.

He looked at her, confused, as though he hadn't thought of leaving.

She tilted her head at him, making up an excuse on the spot, "Well, I don't think they'll want you in New York. Apparently General Ross is out to get you-."

The Hulk growled at the name.

"I know, that's why we've gotta-," but then, the fabric that the Hulk had pinched between his two fingers finally split in two, and she was falling. She cried out- but she was stopped short as the big guy's hand swept out and caught her midway.

She smiled up at him, pushing herself into a sitting position in his giant, seat sized palm, swinging her dangling legs. "Thanks," she told him with a surprised smile. "So, until, we, get the other back, should get outta dodge?" He stared at her, annoyed at her phrase of words, "I mean," she quickly backtracked, "Do you want to get out of here, or not?"

Please let's get out of here.

"Not," he said simply.

"Are you sure?" she smiled politely, hoping it would win her his favor, touching his big thumb with her fingers tentatively.

"Not!" he growled, before tipping her to fall out of his hands, so she landed heavily on her hands and knees.

"Alright then," she muttered at the ground, before pushing herself to sit on her heels, "The gloomy warehouse it is," she stopped herself, realizing all too late that she had no control over this situation. No control whatsoever. If he stood up and ran, then, she would be here. Alone.

She bit her lip, and looked up at the big guy.

He didn't seem in the mood to run, she thought, though he didn't look like he much appreciated just sitting there either. He kept shifting, as though he wasn't comfortable in his own skin.

He caught her looking at him before she could analyze much more, and he barked at her.

"Ok," she squeaked, and looked away sheepishly.

She realized too late that the fabric of her dress had been entirely shreaded off to her middrift, and all she was in were a pair of tights and now what looked like a mess of a torn shirt. She snatched the fabric that the Hulk had discarded when she had fallen, and wrapped it around herself protectively, looking to the Hulk to see if he had seen.

He had.

"Look away!" she scolded without thinking, and watched his eyes dart elsewhere quickly, before she tried to determine if something was salvageable enough to hold the dress together.

The webbing. When Peter had shot her up with webbing to keep her on the Hulk, he'd saved her life. Now he was saving her decency. He really was a hero.

When she got back to base she would praise his genius.

Back to base.

Could she get back to base?

If she ran for it, would he let her go? Would he care to make her stay?

This was her chance, she thought.

What chance? Running from the Hulk? Really?

He might let her go. He probably didn't even care if she left.

But-… Something within her panged at the thought.

But she wasn't going to abandon Bruce.

But, what if it was good- what if the others could help him in ways that she couldn't? She didn't know what ways- she was the only one who could put the Hulk back- well, used to be able to put the Hulk back… but now… Maybe Stark had synthesized a solution by now?

Could she leave Bruce like this? Trapped inside the Hulk? Just for a bit- just to get help-

She didn't see a door in the darkening room, or any other exit for that matter, except for a few busted garage doors that looked like they had been rusted to their frames and a line of windows that would be at least five feet over her head if she had been standing. No way out then, well, minus the giant hole in the ceiling.

Silly though it was, it was almost a relief, not to be able to leave the Hulk behind. Not to leave Bruce behind. Not when he said, well, what he'd said.

She felt warm just thinking about it, filling her full, and suddenly understood why Disney princesses sang when they were in love. Not that she was going to sing a note, she couldn't sing. Since she was five her mother had tried to get her to sing, but when she sung in a school choir, the teacher had actually asked her to sit out.

She sighed to herself as she continued to ease the webbing from off of the fabric of her tattered dress, continuing to think.

No way out on her own… well, no seeable way out. Not without abandoning Bruce.

And no way to make the Hulk leave either. He could definitely get them out if he wanted to.

But he didn't want to.

Which left her with no options.

Other than to either wait, or to persuade the Hulk to get them out.

She looked up at the Hulk again, who was avoiding looking at her pointedly, until he noticed her looking at him. He gazed down at her with his big dark eyes, curious, and she couldn't quite figure out why.

"'Sup," she said awkwardly.

He huffed and looked away again, before glancing back to see if she was still watching him. She giggled, and, to her complete surprise, as he stared at the ceiling, he smiled. Slightly. Ever so slightly. But still. It had been there.

She smiled down at her work, thinking, maybe it wasn't going to be so bad after all.

He hadn't killed her yet at least.

With that thought in mind, she continued her awkward opening with a question, "So," she said, uncertainly, "What happened while I was unconscious?"

He grumbled.

"No, I know. You don't like to talk. I get it, but um," she looked up at him imploringly, "I'd, like to know."

The Hulk furrowed his brow, leaning back, before saying simply, "Knock Little out. Then battle." He didn't seem to like to make too much eye contact with her. She could only wonder why- somewhere in her mind the word "Battle" clicked and she panicked.

"Battle? What battle?" she demanded, before realizing all too soon that her newest nick name was "Little." Little? Not something else? She was pretty average for a girl. And had he seen Asa?

"Battle fought," and she could hear the pride rumbling in his chest as he continued, "Thunder and Metal and Hulk. Hulk won!" he boomed so loud the room echoed around them, beating his chest with massive one fist.

Thunder and Metal? Thunder and –Iron Man! Thor and Iron Man! Stephanie laughed aloud.

"Not funny," Hulk sounded deeply perturbed. "Hulk won."

"No, of course it's not," Stephanie told him. But it made her wonder… Hulk, won? How much had he won? How were Thunder and Metal? When the Hulk harrumphed, she looked up at him, trying to figure out how best to go about talking to the Hulk. Wheedling information out of someone who didn't want to talk was her thing sometimes, but. This was a little more than just a bit different. He had responded well to praise. Maybe she would try that. She spoke up again, her voice clear and honest. "I think it's, incredible, what you can do."

He bent down, staring at her right in the face. She felt her breathe stop short, paralyzed, but at least that kept her from pulling away from him. She realized then that he was making sure she wasn't teasing him. She smiled slightly, politely, not sure what to do, how to reassure him.

And then he grinned fiercely, baring all of his teeth, and Stephanie couldn't help but grin back.

"You're very brave, and strong!" she continued, her voice sounding a little ridiculous as she spoke, but couldn't help but smile when he puffed out his chest. Oh yes, praise was the key. "You beat Thunder and Metal! Because you're so strong!"

She felt like she was calming down a five year old.

Hulk seemed pleased with the compliment though, showing off his muscles, and sporadically she lifted up her arms too as though to flex her biceps, and "Rawred!" a little, and felt all of five years old as she did it. A five year old talking to a five year old. At least they'd understand each other.

To her complete surprise and total amusement, he copied her, flexing his enormous muscles, even bellowing out a war cry.

She followed him, then, her rawr fiercer, and he roared deafeningly, and she couldn't help but to laugh and rawr again.

He looked down at her then, as though disappointed, before poking her in the stomach so she "oofed" and then chucked her under the chin so she was almost looking at the ceiling.

He nodded and then roared.

And then he was staring at her expectantly.

"Oh!" and she smiled, before she roared with all her might.

He nodded the affirmative, leaving her to smother her own mirth by going back to work on her dress.

She had just roared with the Hulk.

Full on roared.

Without even really thinking about what she was doing.

She could barely stifle the laughter, but it only built up in her until it burst out into outright giggles before she could put a lid on it again.

At least no one had been around to hear it, except for the Hulk. Of course there was the dull sound of cars in the far distance on a well used road, but that was the sound of the city, and she doubted anyone could hear them from there.

Roaring.

It made her giggle all over again.

And here she was, trying to get information out of him, but all she kept doing was goofing off. What a terrible spy she'd be. The SHIELD agents would have been out of there by then and off to get help.

Or maybe they'd be squished.

When she finally could control herself, her eyes not leaving her task, she asked, "So, Metal and Thunder-," no she was not going to laugh- her question was serious, "did they get hurt?"

The Hulk shrugged, as though it wasn't a big deal.

"Why did you fight them?" she wanted to demand, but she couldn't sound more than nervous now.

He shrugged again.

"But, you're on a team, you work together," she felt her aggravation growing a little, along with her frustration, "Aren't you worried-?"

"Thunder and Metal strong. Not hurt," the Hulk told her.

Before she could say anything, he pointed at her, almost poking her clean over, "Like to talk."

"I do," she smiled, pushing herself back into a sitting position, resettling, "I like to talk a lot."

He grunted, sounding annoyed as he glowered into the darkness.

"But I don't have to," she added quickly.

He nodded once, making an affirmative sound in his throat, before continuing to sit and stare at the wall.

Dang it.

Information-getting session done.

For now.

Well, at least she knew that Tony and Thor weren't hurt. Or at least he said they weren't hurt. And she believed him. Why would he lie?

She went back to her task. It was harder and harder to make out in the darkness, even with the city light flooding in. Her eyes were tired- she was tired- she needed help.

Repeatedly she looked overhead, through the hole in the ceiling, hoping there would be more than airplanes in the sky. Iron Man, or Thor, or, Metal and Thunder, as the Hulk apparently called them, were nowhere to be seen however. She had been sure that they would be out there, trying to find their friend and fellow Avenger- but maybe they had done so much damage to the city, and the wedding-.

Oh the wedding reception. It hit Stephanie in the gut hard. Pepper and Tony's beautiful wedding reception. They had crashed it, quite literally, busted a window in their house and everything. It had been so lovely, and it had barely started. They hadn't cut the cake yet, Pepper hadn't thrown the bouquet yet…

Ruined. Entirely ruined. Their memories of that day would be one of the worst. Oh Pepper. Poor Pepper.

And guiltily she was glad that Thunder and Metal hadn't come to find the Hulk yet. She didn't know if she could stand to look into Pepper's face, knowing that she should have been able to contain the Hulk, but hadn't. That because of her their reception, all the traditions, everything that was supposed to happen on a wedding day wouldn't. She felt so wholly awful about it she didn't notice the time passing. She only hoped they never found her again. Hoped that they abandoned her to die, and that Pepper and Tony went on their honeymoon somewhere beautiful and relaxing and away from all of the Avenger's nonsense.

And then, Bruce… Would he ever become Bruce again?

Would she be stuck inside a warehouse with the Hulk for the rest of her days?

No. He had to come back. The alien barrier, that barrier that had been so entirely wrong, that had kept her from changing the Hulk back, it had to dissipate sometime, didn't it?

Maybe it already had. She wanted to test it, but doubted the Hulk would let her try. She was pushing her luck as it was…

But what if it hadn't?

What if it was a new mutation, and the Hulk was going to take over from now on?

She felt that horror well up inside her.

Bruce, trapped forever, and she, never being able to say what needed to be said… how trivial of her, to be thinking about that at a time like this. This was Bruce's life they were talking about. Bruce's life…

She swallowed hard, realizing how dry her mouth was too late.

Bruce.

All she could do now was focus on her dress, so at least she was decent. The webbing was holding up miraculously, stitching her dress together without having to stitch anything at all. It was just basically done, and it looked more like someone had covered the dress with mesh clothing.

The dress was ruined, beyond repair. She had patched it, she only had the end to finish, but there was no way the dress would ever be the same again.

She knew it was petty, but it was easy to feel bad about a dress, something material, instead of feeling the entire weight of the situation. The wedding ruined, Bruce trapped, all her fault…

Yes, much easier to worry about the damage done to the dress. Easier to fix… or in this case patch. All she could do was patch. What if that wasn't enough for all that had happened? And how could she patch up a wedding, or, release a person in a prison of another person with an alien force field shield underneath their very skin?

To her chagrin, she finished the re-webbing of the dress to her satisfaction.

Maybe another layer-

No. She had to think, to, to, figure out what to do next. She couldn't just wait around for Stark or Thor or someone to come find them. She had to act.

Somehow she had to convince the Hulk to come with her back to Stark Tower.

But _how_?

She stared up at the Hulk in hopelessness, to find that he was twitching, his head lolling, as though he were tired. Did the Hulk get tired? How should she know?! She'd only seen the Hulk a few times, and all of those times included action.

Her head was spinning with the whir of it all as it was. She felt like sleeping herself…

As she watched his head pop up again, she noticed something trickling down his green neck.

Was the Hulk, …sweating?

Did the Hulk sweat?

She had never seen him sweat before, never felt it during or after a battle when she'd clung on to him to change him back. But that had only been a few times. Maybe it was different?

But he wasn't even doing anything, he was just sitting there.

Maybe it was a nervous sweat?

No- that wasn't possible. She was almost positive the Hulk didn't get nervous.

But he was definitely sweating.

What on earth was the cause? She wondered. It wasn't exertion. He was just sitting there!

It seemed almost- no, it was… unnatural.

She reached out to him, to see if he had a fever or something-

Instantly he flung out his hand, and she was sailing backwards-

She skidded across the floor, curling up on her side and covering her head, just before she bumped into the wall.

He was roaring at her from across the room as she clutched her stomach, tears welling in her eyes. It hurt to breathe.

What had happened? Had she done something wrong?

Maybe he'd decided he wanted to kill her now, that the other's opinion didn't matter anymore.

The Hulk stood up, looking ready to charge. "Don't TOUCH!" he bellowed at her, his hands fists.

She could only whimper from where she was, shutting her eyes tight, waiting for him to bowl into her, and smash her into dust.

But when the onslaught didn't happen, she peaked, her eyelashes fraying around her vision.

The Hulk was grumbling to himself, teetering, as though he were dizzy.

Did the Hulk get dizzy?

No- this wasn't normal.

Something was wrong.

Did- Could the Hulk get sick?

Sick? Him? Was that possible? Bruce had said that he, that the Hulk never got sick, never even got papercuts.

He fell over, startling her, landing heavily on his rear, and looked around innocently, as though he were a toddler, learning how to walk for the first time and didn't understand why he had lost his balance.

Her heart wrenched- she reached out towards him with an arm, but her diaphragm caused her to choke instead. She cringed back into herself.

That was when she heard the cars.

Cars that weren't far away, but close.

Driving towards them.

Steve! Tony! One of them, any of them- even Natasha, who still absolutely terrified her on most occasions- anyone! Coming to the rescue!

They would help, they would know what to do, and then her head could stop spinning and she could pass out without feeling like she was abandoning anyone…

She smiled as she heard the sound of engines not too far off, within a block or two.

Soon she could pass out and then when she woke up Bruce would be back.

A car "eeerch!"ed to a stop next to their warehouse.

Stephanie almost cried out, trying to get someone's attention, but when she heard voices she stopped to listen.

"One of these!" shouted a voice she didn't recognize, muffled by the walls.

Maybe SHIELD had sent out squadrons. That made sense. Lots of squadrons. The city was huge. They couldn't all be in every place at once.

"The roars were coming from this area, sir!"

"Everyone be ready- have your guns cocked and loaded! Now move, move, move!"

Guns- at the Hulk? Were they stupid?

Yep. Had to be.

So then, definitely not SHIELD, she thought to herself, gritting her teeth.

What now then?

Standing. That'd be good. If she could stand she could figure out what to do from there, because if this wasn't SHIELD…

Stephanie tried pushing herself to her hands and knees, and gagged, her muscles shaking from the pain in her diaphragm.

But the Hulk was reacting as they heard the footsteps run around, echoing against other walls as they went. He was growling, getting to his feet.

"Shhh!" she hushed him, though it was more spit than air coming from her mouth, and the pain spasmed in her lungs. She'd used up too much air too quickly, and everything was becoming more and more dizzy.

Broken ribs, she thought, fighting down nausea. It had to be broken ribs.

Quelling every pain she could without blacking out entirely, she checked to see what the Hulk had done.

He had listened to her, as silent as anything so monstrously huge could be. And, to her surprise, he was staring at her intently. Not in a way that said he was going to kill her, but- was that, concern?

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

Came the shouts around them as footsteps ran in synchronized steps.

Stephanie recognized the pattern sporadically. She knew when people shouted and ran in formation. If this wasn't SHIELD, this was military. She knew military. She'd grown up on Army bases and learned about military formations since she'd been born. But-

Military.

It meant military was looking for them.

Military.

Like her father.

Like Betty's father.

Like General Ross.

"Only four more of these warehouses to search General Ross, sir," reported a voice that was literally right outside their warehouse, right next to where Stephanie was lying through the old rickety garage doors that were on either side of where she had landed against the cement wall.

"We'll sniff him out," a low voice said. It was determined, harsh, clear. She knew training other soldiers had done that to his voice. Her father's had a similar intonation when he gave orders. "She promised that we'd have the fight of our lives. And I plan on this fight being the end of that _monster_."

Stephanie felt fear well up inside her. She looked to the Hulk, who was sitting there, waiting for her to tell him what to do. That expression- she knew he had to be sick. He had to be sick and he needed help. He needed her help.

But what could she do?

_End of that monster_… No.

General Ross- the one who wanted the Hulk dead- here.

She tears started to pour down her face, useless tears that weren't helping anything.

But what could she do-

She couldn't move. She could barely breathe. All she wanted to do was pass out.

"This one- has it been checked yet?" Stephanie heard the General rap against the old aluminum garage door next to her with his knuckles.

"No sir."

"Well then."

The bang of boot against garage door blasted through the air in the warehouse.

The Hulk lurched to his feet with a roar.

Stephanie covered her head with her hands as yelling commenced, boots pounding into the room. Guns, guns all pointed at the Hulk, no one paying her any heed until someone almost stepped on her.

"General sir!" called the soldier whose boot almost stomped on her face, wearing camo like the rest of his patrol. Camo? In New York? Please.

"What is it?" barked the General, eyes focused only on the Hulk.

"A hostage sir!"

Hostage? Where?

The General shot the soldier a look, and then at her for the briefest of seconds, "Get her to her feet. Everyone else, eyes on the prize." His eyes were back on his prize, glaring down the barrel of his gun at the Hulk, "I've got you cornered now."

The Hulk growled low in his throat, but Stephanie could hear his heart wasn't in it.

Someone was grabbing her arms, and dragging her upright. She gritted her teeth and tried to yell, but she couldn't breathe easily enough. All that came out was a yelp. She managed to pull her feet under her, but could barely stand. She felt nauseous, and like her knees were about to buckle. She was forced to watch as the General paced tentatively towards the Hulk, who was teetering where he stood.

"It's not like you to stand still," growled the General, obviously perturbed as he lowered his weapon momentarily, before narrowing his eyes and bringing his weapon up again, peering through the sight. "It'll make killing you all that much easier."

"Please- stop!" Stephanie managed to shout, pulling away from one of the soldiers who were holding her up, reaching out to the gun as though she could pull it from him, "Can't you see he's sick?!"

That startled the General. He looked around at her.

When he said nothing, still staring her down, she tried again, "Please- he needs help."

His face was hard, calculating, like she had imagined, and yet his moustache was seriously throwing her off. She wasn't sure if she could take someone with a moustache as seriously as she should. His eyes read that he meant business though. She shouldn't misjudge.

"He- he-," Stephanie couldn't think straight. She had to swallow back pain, trying to think of a proper defense, how to talk their way out. Useless- she was being useless. Her mom would know what to say- her mom… why was she thinking of her mother? All she could see was that gun, pointing at the Hulk. The bullets would ricochet off. They should- at least- but. But in his condition would it be the same? Would he be penetrable in his weakened state? Fear welled fresh inside her. What would happen in his weakened state? It was something she couldn't risk.

"Men take aim!" the General shouted, turning away from her.

"No!" she yelled, panicked.

The Hulk looked to her then, and she could see the dark eyes that weren't Bruce's, but that she was familiar with nonetheless. That she cared about nonetheless.

And she was running.

Running at him full tilt.

Before she knew what she was doing she crashed into the Hulk. He was hot to the touch, as though his skin were fevered. And there was still that alien substance under his skin, running through his veins. It had to be what was making him sick.

The Hulk looked down at her helplessly, like a lost child.

She had to help him.

And she'd had enough of that shield.

She wanted it gone.

She slammed it back with all her will. She pushed it away. And not all of it was gone, but enough of it was, enough of it that she could feel through to the Hulk's energy with her own. Enough to pass along strength. She didn't know what she was doing, not really, because strengthening the Hulk was something that she hadn't tried before, but instinctively she knew that if she gave him what she had, it would be enough to get them out. She took what will she had left, and felt the energy pass through her to him.

It was enough.

His sickness seemed to break.

At least she gathered that as he picked her up in one of his great fists, and leapt.

Right into the ceiling.

With a scream she felt the rubble tumble around her, felt the granules of cement catch in her hair, and then they were out, in the open air as gunshots riddled the ceiling where they had been mere moments before.

He landed heavily, and she could barely inhale before he started to run.

She couldn't see- he wasn't holding her steady, as he was pumping his arms as he ran. They looked like they were passing other warehouses that looked like the one they'd been camping in. She couldn't keep her eyes open long. The wind was stinging her eyes.

They heard gunfire- too late- in the distance. And shouting. And the start of engines.

They were coming for them.

The Hulk pushed on ahead.

She realized something almost too late.

The Hulk was running from a fight.

Running?

Since when did the Hulk run from a fight?

He fought and he fought until he brought down his adversary. Bar none. It was one of the Hulk's specialties. Brute force and endurance, and he never ran. He never hid.

But he was running.

And he had hid.

He really must be sick, she thought. Speaking of which, she felt like she was about to be sick- all the jarring and his running was making the contents of her stomach want to spill out-

To her horror, they did.

The Hulk stopped, and held her up to his face as she finished choking.

The pain, and the running, the two combined had finally been nauseating enough that she had been sick.

He was gazing down at her, disgusted.

She shook her head at him, wiping her mouth in shame, "I'm sorry- it's just the running- it's-."

He put her on his shoulder, and wiped his hand on a concrete wall. She ducked her head away from the scene, and looked over her own shoulder as they heard engines close by. She didn't spot them though. All she saw was billowing clouds overhead. A gathering storm. Perfect.

He grunted to get her attention. "Little," he ordered, "stay."

She looked around as he tried to glare at her sideways. "I'll stay," she smiled weakly, and pulled up her dress so that she could loop her leg around the Hulk's neck. And here she'd been so depressed as a ten year old, thinking she'd never ride on anyone's shoulder's again. Of course, she'd never counted on the Hulk. "Ready," she managed, sucking in a painful breathe, the taste of bile still too strong in her mouth as she tried to wash the taste out with her own spit.

He took off again, and she held on as tight as she could, grabbing fistfuls of his thick hair. She could see over the top of his head, and watched as he ran on ahead, running towards street lights through the maze of old warehouses. What was this place, a ship yard? She could barely make it all out in the darkness and the light drizzle that was falling around them, making the Hulk's hair slick, and hard to get a good grip on.

It was then that they heard the humvee swerve onto the road behind them.

Stephanie looked around just as it swung into view from around a warehouse, only fifty yards away, bumping into a cement wall before peeling it's way after them. Who were these guys?! She tugged at the Hulk's hair in warning as they pulled up close.

In the passenger's seat was General Ross holding a bazooka. Of course. Because anything less would have been too easy.

"Hulk!" she cried as the General took aim.

She barely had time to clamp down on the fistfuls of the Hulk's wet hair that she had.

The Hulk spun so fast it whipped her legs out from around his shoulders. Before she could even register anything he slammed his fist into the front of the humvee, pounding it into the ground. She heard the yells as people fell forward onto the dashboard, spilling out of the car and scattering around.

The Hulk was running again, faster this time, and Stephanie was losing her grip on his hair, the rain making it too wet to keep a hold of. One of her hands slipped. The Hulk slid to a stop when she cried out.

But he hadn't stopped because she had called to him.

He was shrinking.

Shrinking and stumbling.

Now? Of all times?

"Hulk!" she cried when he fell over, hitting his foot on a few of the trash cans that lined the alley and making them clash over. She rolled over his head, somersaulting, landing face down on the wet asphalt several feet way.

In the background she heard the sound of more humvees coming, the sound of their engines harsher than that of other vehicle engines. The sound- That meant more gunfire, more bazookas. More of General Ross. She had to get up. She had to move, had to help, get the Hulk to move. Why couldn't she find the motivation?

Then it started to pour. The sky just opened up and rain fell down on her, thick and heavy, as though it was trying to keep her from standing.

She watched apathetically as the drops splatted on the ground, spattering tinier droplets of water all over. Her muscles seemed to atrophy with every passing second.

This was too much. All of it. Too much. She couldn't think about anything other than why- why could all of this be happening right now without any help- the Hulk was sick- he could be dying, and she didn't know how to cure him, how to make him better, and General Ross was right on their heels with machine guns and rocket launchers and who knew what else and probably nothing she could think to say would make him even pause-.

"Stephanie?"

She felt her heart stop.

She didn't dare look up. She couldn't bear to see anything else but raindrops at the moment. Because… Because what if she was just hallucinating, and she was only imagining-?

"Stephanie!"

Imagining- yes, yes, because nothing had gotten better yet, and everything was still ruined. She'd just finally broken down. She'd always been half off her rocker anyways, dreaming about meeting the Avengers like some fifteen year old swooning over the biggest boy band. What had she been thinking? This was too much. This world that they seemed to live in, it was too harsh and too painful and too lost, and had she mentioned painful?

A hand pressed lightly on her back, and if she had had the strength she would have retaliated. Finally General Ross had caught up to them- who knew what that man would do with him?

"Stephanie, Stephanie, talk to me."

There were a pair of hands now, turning her over ever so gently.

Her face got a bucketful of rain. She choked, blinking the water out of her eyes.

But even in the darkness, she could make out his face.

"Stephanie?" his voice was panicked, but there was no mistaking those dark eyes, though the rain was practically blinding her.

"Bruce?" her voice was barely a whisper. It really was too much to hope for, after all that had happened that day. She had almost consigned herself somewhere deep in her mind to the thought of never seeing Bruce again, trapped forever in the Hulk, or that they'd get separated at some unknown lab and she'd be experimented on until she died. But there he was, wholly Bruce.

She wanted to throw herself at him, to laugh, to cry, anything to make him smile quietly. Somehow that would make it more real.

"What happened?" he demanded, looking around at where they were, "I couldn't see-, I wasn't in control-. What happened?"

"Oh, not much," she smiled half heartedly, clutching her stomach when her attempt at a chuckle turned agonizing.

His brows furrowed, "Are you hurt?"

"Na," she shook her head slightly, her grin growing.

He frowned at her sarcasm, and went to grab a pair of glasses from a pocket on a shirt that wasn't there. He paused, looking down at himself, and she smiled at him teasingly when he glanced up at her.

"At least I'm still wearing pants," he mumbled under his breath, pushing her hand away from her stomach. She barely had energy to fight him, or to tell him about his manly chest hair. Where had it all gone? With her lunch?

When she hissed involuntarily as he felt where she was sore, he looked at her in concern, "Your ribs-."

"I'm fine," she lied, or half lied. She wasn't fine.

She was happy though- happy he was there. But also, she was in so much pain now that she was lying still, and not holding on for dear life riding on the Hulk's shoulders.

"You're not fine," he sighed, clenching his teeth as he sat back, almost tipping over as he did so.

She reached to steady him, but he put her hand back over her ribs. She frowned as she felt his hands shaking, "Neither are you."

He pulled away from her, "We need to get you back to the tower," he said through the rain's din, his voice firm as he looked around them, "I think I see an exit over there-."

He stopped as raised voices called over the sound of engines revving. Bruce looked to her in question, and she bit her lip guiltily, before trying to state matter-of-factly, "General Ross is on our heels."

Bruce looked at her in terror, "He found me?" When Stephanie nodded he closed his eyes, as though trying to block out the very idea, "Then we really need to get you back to the tower."

"How-?"

He shook his head, before stopping too quickly, as though the action were making him dizzy. He looked away from her momentarily, as though he were searching for something. Whatever it was it wasn't there, because he turned back to her, "The first step is getting you to sit up."

He eased her into a sitting position, but she was breathing so heavily with the effort

Synchronized footfalls in the distance had them both holding their breath.

With renewed vigor, Stephanie tried to push herself into kneeling.

"Take it easy," Bruce cautioned, swallowing hard and closing his eyes as though he were trying to concentrate.

"I- don't know- if I can stand," Stephanie gasped, pushing her drenched hair out of her eyes. Where was the adrenaline rush when she needed it?

Bruce just nodded, and got into a crouch. Before she could protest he had looped both of his arms under her and lifted her right off the ground.

He almost fell over, his footsteps slanting so that his back collided with one of the warehouse walls.

Bruce panted, shifting her in his arms. Stephanie could not have been more embarrassed.

"I can walk-," she told him quickly, trying to get down, but when her chest spasmed, she could only close her eyes.

He shook his head, breathless, some of the droplets from his wet hair splashing her in the face.

He stumbled on ahead, keeping her firmly in his grasp.

An engine roar behind them had the both of them turning.

A humvee was racing forwards, a good hundred yards off.

Bruce rotated around before she could get a good look at who was standing up in the passenger's seat, but she didn't really need three guesses.

He was half jogging, half dragging them around the corner, and pushed his back up against the wall. Not four seconds later the humvee sped past, going at least a hundred miles an hour.

They hadn't been spotted. She felt Bruce heave a sigh of relief.

Stephanie watched the humvee drive away, flying towards the exit Bruce had spotted earlier. She shook her head after them, and felt Bruce lurch forward, faltering momentarily as though he were trying to balance himself.

He made their way to the exit slowly. She felt him shaking. He was sticky to the touch, almost as though he was sweating watery sugar. Was he still sick as Bruce? Did he have whatever the Hulk had?

She put her hand to his skin, and felt the alien shield-

"We'll get you safe," he chanted, almost to himself, breaking her concentration, "We'll- get you safe. I promise."

He had to stop. Something was wrong with him. He was still sick- it had to be that shield thing! Was it coursing through his blood? "Bruce-."

He was ignoring her, laying out the plan, his eyes dead set on the end of the warehouse yard they were in, "We'll find a cab. It'll, take you back."

The word 'you' stuck out at her, "What about you?"

He shook his head, not meeting her gaze, licking his lips and swallowing, "Distraction."

Stephanie felt her heart stop as she realized, "No. _No_!" What was he thinking?! He wasn't- he couldn't be!

"They'll come after me-." He was explaining his plan as though it were fact.

"No!" she cut him off, "I'm not going without you- can't you see you're sick?!" Why was everyone seemingly blind to that obvious fact but her?

"I'll be fine. I- Always am," he looked down at her, a twitch at the side of his mouth.

She shook her head violently, "No, no, you can't-."

Bruce half fell against a wall, exhaustion taking him for a moment.

Stephanie squirmed, trying to take the moment to get out of his arms.

He only shifted her closer to him, holding her so tightly she stopped trying to escape. She wondered if he'd stop there, if he'd collapse. Instead, he pressed her head into the crook of his neck, resting his cheek against her head.

She felt the heavy rise and fall of his chest, her hand running over his shoulder, slick with rain. Tears welled up in her eyes, "Please don't do this," she begged, "Don't even think about it. Just come back with me."

He inhaled deeply, as though he were about to go underwater, before shoving himself off the wall and pushing himself forward through the rain.

The warehouses opened up right onto a shady street, where he stumbled forward, his footsteps splashes in the rain water, heading toward sound, or at least that's what it seemed like he was doing, walking right down the middle of the street.

She couldn't make sense of it. He couldn't be seriously about leaving. It was stupid! It was suicide! Tony could fix it- Steve could stop it- Thor could obliterate it- there were other options-

Bruce staggered into the middle of an intersection, light from street lamps making her blink madly.

She had to argue, had to find the energy, "Bruce-."

He stopped her before she started, "I'll be fine."

The tears that had been welling spilled over, "I won't be."

He stopped dead, "Stephanie-."

A car came out of no where, screeching to a stop within inches of them. Stephanie looked around at the bright yellow car with the lighted words "TAXI" on the roof.

"Are you crazy?!" howled the driver, sticking his head out into the window into the rain.

"Take her to Stark Tower," Bruce panted, shifting her higher in his arms as he made his way to the passenger side of the cab.

"Whoa, whoa, I ain't no ambulance," the cab driver's accent was heavy as he got out of his car in protest.

"Stark Tower," Bruce barked at the man, making him stop short, "Take her there. They'll pay you whatever you want,-"

He was opening the cab door.

"Bruce no-!" Stephanie cried, trying to kick herself away from the car as he laid her out across the back seat. He was disentangling himself from her, trying to swing her legs in as they heard other engines roaring their way.

Bruce paused, looking out toward the noise, before yelling at the driver over the roof of the car, "You have to go, now!"

"I won't leave you!" she declared, reaching for him as she heard the cab driver slam his door behind him as he climbed in out of the rain.

"Please, Stephanie." His dark eyes caught hers, full of desperation and she almost succumbed to his plea, letting him put her legs in the car-

She shook her head, "No, I-."

He kissed her then, pressing his lips hard and fast to hers, rain tainting his taste. She barely had time to close her eyes, to reach her hand to touch his cheek, when he broke away.

Before she could breathe, he shut the car door after her, pounding his hand against the trunk twice.

The cab started forward.

She looked out of the window behind her, watching him gaze after the cab, and mouthed something at her.

She pressed her hand to the window.

A humvee swerved into view behind him.

"No!" she screamed as Bruce fled.

She tried to open the car door, but it didn't budge. She slammed herself against it, before pulling the lock up out of its socket.

"Hey lady-," the cab driver said nervously.

This time the door opened.

Stephanie spilled out of the car, and before she could blink, her head cracked against the wet asphalt.

The last thing she felt was the rain pattering against her skin as the sky rumbled overhead.


End file.
